Landlord Fowler Tavern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Landlord Fowler Tavern
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 171 Main St., Westfield, Massachusetts |
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| Built | c. 1755 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001914 |
| Added to NRHP | August 11, 1982 |
The Landlord Fowler Tavern is an old building in Westfield, Massachusetts. It was built a long time ago, around the 1750s. This building is a great example of a style called Georgian architecture. For about 100 years, it was a very important place where people met. It was also a major stop for stagecoaches traveling across the country. Today, it's a private home. This historic tavern was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
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A Historic Building in Westfield
The old Landlord Fowler Tavern is located east of downtown Westfield. You can find it on the south side of Main Street. This street is also known as United States Route 20. It was a big road that went through the Berkshires to the west. The tavern is near where the Little River meets the Westfield River.
What the Building Looks Like
The tavern is a three-story building made of wood. It has two full floors. On top, there is a wide gambrel roof. This type of roof has two slopes on each side. The lower slope is steeper than the upper one.
Three windows stick out from the steep part of the roof. These are called gabled dormers. A large brick chimney stands in the middle of the roof. The front of the building has five sections, called bays. The main door is in the center. The original fancy doorway is now in a museum. It used to have columns and a curved top.
A Busy Place in the Past
People think the building was built around the 1750s. It was definitely there by 1761. That year, a man named Daniel Fowler got a special permit. This permit allowed him to run a tavern in Westfield.
For many years, the Landlord Fowler Tavern was a very important place. It was a center for business and town meetings. It was also a rest stop for people traveling on the main road. This road was used for mail delivery and travel.
During the American Revolution
During the American Revolutionary War, the tavern played a special role. It was a meeting spot for local soldiers. These soldiers were part of the militia. The town's safety committee also met here. This committee helped keep the town safe during the war.
A famous visitor stayed at the tavern in 1777. He was Baron Friedrich Adolf Riedesel. He was a commander from Germany, leading soldiers called Hessians. His army was captured at the end of the 1777 Saratoga campaign. After being captured, he stayed at the Landlord Fowler Tavern.
Later Years of the Tavern
In the 1830s, a new canal was built. It was called the Hampshire and Hampden Canal. This canal caused less business on the old main road. Over time, Westfield's main business area moved further west.
By the 1860s, the building was no longer a tavern. It became a private home. For a short time, between 1885 and 1916, it was used as a factory. They made cigars there. The original fancy front door frame was taken off the building in the early 1900s. It was a classic design from the Connecticut River valley.
