Downloads, Book Reviews, Links, Other Resources
Here are some books/articles scanned from my personal collection or from Google Books that you can download by clicking on the images. All have references to the Wayside Inn or one of the other taverns. These are all pdf’ed so you can download & print or put on your e-reader. A few are pretty big (19MB or so) and probably require a cable internet connection. Lot’s of interesting reading here. The first three articles are quite interesting if you have not already seen. Alice Morse Earle’s “Stage-Coach & Tavern Days” below is a classic and is often cited in other documents. As I have more time, I will write highlights of each and maybe pull out excerpts. I’ve identified a few more documents relating to Henry Ford I want to post, but I need to find some of the original source material.
Note: I’m finding on a few that the pdf downloads I’ve placed here don’t print, some type of adobe lock. I’ve gotten around that by printing the pdfs to a pdf creator, then printing to a printer. I also found that going back to the original Google book is best if you want to do any kind of searching.
The Wayside Inn Its History and Literature. This is the famous June 1897 address by Samuel Bent. E.R. Lemon as innkeeper and businessman often invited intellectuals to speak in hopes of drawing crowds and setting a refined atmosphere. This is a historical essay on the inn which is often cited and well worth a read.
New England Magazine, circa 1894, contains an article by Mrs. C. Van D. Chenoweth titled “The Landlord of the Wayside Inn.” This is an historical sketch of Lyman Howe and his sister Jerusha. If you are doing research on her, this is one of the few sources that really gives some reflection on her life. Another recommended read.
Adeline Lunt wrote this article – The Red Horse Tavern - in 1880 for Harper’s Weekly Magazine. She offers a candid glimpse of Lyman, Jerusha, Aunt Margey, and life in the olden days from visits there around 1835. This article is found as a reference for many later articles on the inn. It may take a try or too to get through it, but well worth the effort.
The poem at the end, “The Old House at Sudbury,” I noticed is hanging on the wall in the Innkeeper’s room at the Inn.
This 1889 History of Sudbury by Alfred Hudson, goes back to the original founding and the indian wars. The section on the Wayside Inn and other taverns starts on pdf page 673. This is another often cited document.
Ford News was the company newspaper. This December 22, 1923 issue covers the first Christmas of Ford’s ownership. The article is brief, it mentions renovations starting, and they provide a picture of the old sign with ER Lemon’s name on it. I am looking for the first one citing the inn purchase.
Smaller file size Wayside Inn Excerpt Link
New England Magazine 1887 Volume V, article by Wallace Downes reflecting on a journey to the inn just prior to the ER Lemon era. You get a walk through the inn all the way up to the attic.
Bay View Magazine article dated March 1897 and written by JC Church. Discussion on Longfellow, his work, and the Wayside Inn. Interesting picture of the inn with the canvas awning.
The Historic Trees of Massachusetts is an interesting 1919 sketch by James Simmons of the classic trees of Massachusetts. “The Ancient Oaks at Wayside Inn” start on pdf page 135. Also discusses Washington Elm, trees at Munroe Tavern, lots of other trees. Some nice pictures of these old beauties that once were around.
“Under this tree before the Old Tavern, Patriots of the community gathered to pledge their services in the cause for Independence” Tablet at the old Grafton Oak
I have excerpted the section out on the Ancient Oaks and placed it, along with photos, on the Wayside Inn Trees & Garden page found on this website.
If interested in a discussion on the Liberty Tree in Boston, search in Google Books for: “Old Landmarks and Historic Personages of Boston”. This classic by Samuel Adams Drake covers it in detail. You’ll also find discussion on some of the older taverns in downtown Bostons (most no longer remain).
The Book of a Hundred Houses, 1902, discusses classic houses. Pdf page 58 begins an article written by Charlotte Whitcomb on the Wayside Inn. Interestingly, it mentions Burgoyne stopped at the Wayside Inn when a prisoner headed to Boston.
Tales of a Wayside Inn, this is the 1863 orginal version. Openlibrary.org has 22 versions to download.
Stage-Coach and Tavern Days is a circa 1900 classic, or should I say “bible” – in the world of information on old taverns. This masterpiece by Alice Morse Earle has many references to all the old taverns (most no longer exist) and has many illustrations. Stories on old drinks and life in the past. One of the first books you should read on the topic. Here it is to download, but it’s also worth buying a used copy on Amazon.
Early American Inns and Taverns, a 1926 book by Elise Lathrop, goes hand in hand with the book above. Like Stagecoach and Tavern days, it covers all the old inns and taverns (Wayside Inn, Buckman Tavern, Munroe Tavern, Wright Tavern, etc.). Another one to find a good used copy for your library. Note Shenstone’s poem on the cover.
Social Life in New England is a 1914 book by Mary Caroline Crawford. Search both the Wayside Inn and Williams Tavern. Notes about the social life back in earlier times.
Old Landmarks and Historic Fields was written in 1895 by Samual Adam Drake. This is another often cited classic that describes ancient battle fields and events around the revolution. Pdf page 445 begins a brief discussion of the Wayside Inn and it’s landlord.
Our Colonial Homes was written in 1894 by Samual Adam Drake. The section on the “Red Horse Tavern” in Sudbury begins on pdf p.178. A different take on the Wayside Inn story. Also includes a nice picture of the John Hancock house.
1889 New England Magazine article excerpt from p.318, “The Wayside Inn” by Edwin Mead. Another historical sketch of the inn and Longfellow’s writing.
Little Pilgrimages Among Old New England Inns is a literary classic by Mary Caroline Crawford. Written in 1907, it paints a picture of these old inns and life at the turn of the century. The chapter on the Wayside Inn begins on pdf page 256.
Literary Pilgrimages in New England was written in 1902 by Edwin Bacon. It is journey to and through the homes and points of interest in the lives of all the literary greats from this area. The section on the Wayside Inn and Longfellow begins on pdf page 381.
Life Magazine article dated March 27, 1944. This download version is readible, but go to Google Books to get a better view if interested.
Charles Hudson’s 1862 History of the Town of Marlborough covers the history of this early frontier town. The Williams Tavern and the early Howe family taverns are mentioned.
Ella Bigelow wrote this fascinating historical of the houses, activities, and townspeople of Marlborough MA. Written in 1910, it cover many of the old taverns found in this town. Historical Reminiscences of the Early Times in Marlborough, Massachusetts is really a classic. Interestingly, while the Williams Tavern is discussed (pdf p.50), not much is on the Howe Taverns of Marlborough. I would have thought there’d be more. Maybe these taverns are not as significant as I thought.
Samuel Adams Drake’s History of Middlesex County has been referenced by many subsequent publications on the area, on King Phillip’s War, the Revolution, and the Williams Tavern. Very comprehensive early study.
Mythologies of an American Everyday Landscape: Henry Ford at the Wayside Inn. This is a MIT PhD discertation by B. Wortham. A bit difficult to read, but worth a quick skim. Has references to material I hope to collect.
October 1970 edition of the Commerce Digest. Discusses the Inn, Frank Koppeis (the innkeeper at that time), and some of the history.
Diary of Jerusha Howe. This is Jerusha’s hand written diary from around the 1840 period. The Sudbury Library has the orginal and this one to download. This is nice to look at as it is in her handwriting. If interested in actually reading it, go to the special archives section of the library (on line) and read the transcription.
Lyman Howe’s account book. Another handwritten manuscription in the Special archive section of the Sudbury library. This is how they did it in the good old days before computers!
Another often cited book of Small Adam Drake’s is his Old Boston Taverns and Tavern Clubs written in 1917. No details of the taverns surrounding the Boston area, this one focuses on Boston proper. A good read.
Yet another often cited book, The Colonial Tavern, by Edward Field, 1897. I can’t seem to get through this one because I’ve read much of the text already in later documents who’ve used this as a reference.
Nice article from the Fall/Winter 2009 “Wayside Magazine” on the recent redecoration work being done at the inn. Has a few photos not elsewhere on this site. Worth a look.
Longfellow’s Wayside Inn Brochure (current)
Golden Ball Tavern Brochure (current)
Dec 2000 Early American Life Magazine article on the Golden Ball Tavern in Weston, MA. A nice concise read with color illustrations.
Spring 1984 Boston University Center for Archaeological Studies Context article on excavation work done at the Golden Ball Tavern.
Undated Middlesex News articles (early 70’s?) on the Golden Ball Tavern and one more specifically on finding the right wallpaper.
Excerpt from the 1897 book Walks and Rides in the Country Round about Boston by Edwin Bacon. This section discusses the Fitch Tavern in Bedford, MA.
Book Reviews
If you are interested in this topic, you might be tempted to acquire the same books I’ve accumlated over the years. I don’t have time right now for detailed reviews of each book, but what I can provide for now are some summary comments to help give you a start.
Wayside Inn Related
The above three books are must-have’s for any collector of Wayside Inn literature. You can obtain all three on either ebay or Amazon used books. They are not too common, but if you look, you’ll find in a reasonable amount of time (the first one is actually for sale at the inn).
1. As Ancient as Is This Hostelry: 1988 reference book that is perhaps the most comprehensive book published on the Inn. A great first start to learn about the history of the Wayside Inn. Sold in the Inn’s giftshop. No photos unfortunately.
2. The Characters in Tales of a Wayside Inn: Written by John Van Schaick in 1938. Dr. Van Schaick was a minister and “frater” visiting the inn yearly. He took interest in the people Longfellow placed in the ”Tales of a Wayside Inn” and conducted scholarly, exhaustive research on the topic. A rare classic. He also provides a nice summary of the inn’s history.
3. A Camera Impression: B&W picture book published in 1938. Very clear, crisp photos during the time Henry Ford owned the inn. Since Mr. Ford had the inn for 15 years already, what you see are the changes he and E.R. Lemon made to transform the inn into something livable since the time when Longfellow described it as a broken down, ”old hobgoblin inn.”
Other Taverns
The above collection of books are great if you want a broad review of various aspects of taverns. All are pretty good and worth having in your library.
1. America’s Early Taverns…
2. The New England Country Tavern…OSV
3. Early American Taverns…
4. Historic Taverns of Boston…
5. The Colonial Tavern: Glimpse of New England Town Life. I have a digital copy above for you to download. I purchased the book on Amazon for a few bucks. Easy to read, often cited.
6. On the Road North of Boston…
7. Colonial Inns & Taverns of Bucks County (in my collection, taverns from around the Philadelphia area)…
Drinking, Politics, and Culture
These books are all scholarly works on drinking and social life in the 18th-19th century. Very detailed and dry reading, unless you get really excited about how much people drank back then (a lot – like 5 times more than we do now).
1. Rum, Punch, & Revolution…
2. The Public Houses…
3. Taverns and Drinking in Early America…
4. Rum and Reform in Old New England – This is a 19 page easy to read booklet published and available from Old Sturbridge Village. A good read for $3. The picture on the cover can also be found in my art collection section.
Buckman Tavern, Munroe Tavern, and the Golden Ball Tavern
The above two left books are sold by the Lexington Historical Society and available at either of these two taverns. They are worth getting as they tell the detailed story of each. As this site develops, I’ll probably be drawing insights from these booklets. The yellow book on the Golden Ball is from the Golden Ball Tavern Museum and is available on site.
1. The Story of Buckman Tavern…
2. Time & The Tavern, The Monroe Tavern…
3. The Tavern and the Tory, The Story of the Golden Ball Tavern is a detailed, well researched paper back book written in 1977. This book covers the history of the tavern, the Jones family, and the work done to restore the tavern. If interested in this tavern, this is a must have document. Nothing fancy, but lots of information.
Tavern Signs
The first book is a compendium book to the Connecticut Historical Society’s Tavern Sign Show in 2001. It is a great book with lots of color and detail. Stage Coach & Tavern Days posted above also has a section on tavern signs that’s worth a look. The New England Country Tavern book above from Old Sturbridge Village also has coverage of some tavern signs. I provide a link to the OSV website that has the same images.
1. Lions & Eagles & Bulls Early American Tavern & Inn Signs – just a beautiful book on more or less Connecticut tavern signs. Well worth having in your library.
2. Old Tavern Signs – this is a 1916 book that is available as a pdf from Google books. I downloaded it and was going to post, but it really has more of a European and real old (eg, Greece & earlier) read to it.
If interested in tavern signs, I have three links to the right. Two are to artists who recreate them, one is the the Old Sturbridge Village collection.
