Introduction
Chelmsford, like many other towns in colonial Massachusetts, did not lack a supply of taverns. Many thanks to Becky Warren for the compilation of this list.
Fiske House, 1 Billerica Road
Built in 1798 by Simeon Spaulding Jr.., son of the Revolutionary War colonel Simeon Spaulding. At one time Thomas Moore owned the house and conducted a tavern there, known as the Lafayette House in 1839, Mr. & Mrs. John Minot Fiske came from Boston with their three sons in search of a country place. They intended to buy an older house which had belonged to Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, great grandfather of Mr. Fiske, but Mrs. Fiske took a fancy to the tavern. The northeast room contained the bar. It remained in the Fiske family until about 1980.
Manning House, 110 Billerica Road
Jonathan Manning built this substantial colonial building in 1816 and used it as a tavern. The opening of the railroad, in 1835, took away the trade from this, as well as other taverns, and it closed in 1838. The town purchased the property n 1872 and it became known as the Town Farm.
J.S. Spaulding House, 109 Billerica Rd
This house was built prior to 1800 and said to be one of the oldest in Chelmsford. It was owned by Jonathan Manning, a housewright, farmer, and by 1812 a tavern keeper, who moved here from Billerica. His son-in-law, Benjamin Chamberlain, later succeeded him there as innkeeper. Jacob Spaulding owned the house for thirty years after the Civil War. His daughter, Mary S. Lovering, remained there until her death in 1910.
Marshall House, 61 Carlisle Street
Since 1753 this was a famous tavern and stagecoach stop on the road to Boston. At that time, it was the only house on the road from the Billerica line to what is now Gorham Street, Lowell, but was then East Chelmsford. Thomas Marshall was the first Marshall to settle in East Chelmsford. He made his home in this house and it remained in the Marshall family until 1860. Thomas was the brother of Dr. Jonas Marshall, who resided at the Barrett-Byam Homestead on Byam Rd. before and during the Revolution.
Middlesex Tavern
Also known as Clark’s Tavern, 1700’s – 1900’s. Built by Jonas Clark in colonial times, the son of Chelmsford’s second minister. Such distinguished guests and Lafayette and John Hancock had spent the night there. Location was on Middlesex Street in Lowell, across from Hadley Field.
Reed’s Tavern, 2 Chelmsford Street
Oliver Barron and later Joseph Reed kept an old tavern on this site. It burned in 1861. The Chelmsford Historical Society has the tavern ball in its collection. The word “Reed” is visible on the gold-colored wooden ball, which was a signal to stagecoach drivers whether to “high ball” through town or not depending on whether there were passengers waiting for the stage. Edward King Parkhurst’s store, now standing on this site, was originally located near where the old town hall stands. The railroad passed through that location and the store was in the way.
Also
On page 401 of Rev. Water’s History of Chelmsford, he states: There was a tavern in Chelmsford in 1672.
In the year 1674, Edward Spaulding, age 34, made disposition of conversation at “our ordinary”. (Ordinary was another term for tavern). Spaulding lived at 243 Westford Street.
On page 397, Waters states: At the North Village, Benjamin and Thomas Adam’s kept a tavern in the house on the high ground near the junction of Dunstable and Groton roads.
Here are the locations of the taverns:
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