Inns and Taverns During Granby's Early Years

 The words  "inn" and "tavern"  used to be synonymous terms, but their meanings, and the services they provide have changed over the years. Both taverns and inns have been around since ancient times, and both still exist today in one form or another.

In the Granbys during colonial times, there was a law to ensure every town had a tavern because it was one of the main places for the public to gather. Men, women and children were regular customers and  because of poor water quality, consumers of alcohol.

Today, a tavern is an establishment that serves only wine and beer, not hard alcohol or spirits, and only allows adults on the premises. An inn today is actually a motel or hotel and may or may not offer travelers dining and beverages in addition to a room for the night. 

Records show that from the late 18^th to the mid-19^th century, 117 tavernkeeper licenses were issued in the Granbys. Familiar names like Holcomb, Hayes, Phelps and Viets were tavern owners during this time. These owners were often prominent citizens and enjoyed having their residence be a place were the “movers and shakers” from the community would gather to discuss the politics and business of the day.

Fortunately, most of our historic tavern structures still remain today. Homes at both 235 and 285 North Granby Road were well-known taverns which even today retain their bar cages, which the proprietor would lock after hours to prevent pilfering by "sleepwalking" guests.

Goodrich's Tavern was actually built as an inn and tavern with a first floor tavern room, and also featured a second floor ballroom with gallery and orchestra stage. The most famous establishment in East Granby is the Viets Tavern on Newgate Road, which almost always had accommodations for visitors to the Newgate Prison or copper mines.

The Huggins Tavern still stands today on Route 20W, and was on the stagecoach line that ran from Springfield to Granville, MA, through Hartland and West Granby to Simsbury and on to Hartford. This circa 1770 home, which added a tavern in 1800, today still retains the entire tavernroom in the lower level of the home. A historic building specialist from Wethersfield told this author that the pub in this early home was one of the finest and best-kept secrets he had seen in many, many years. 

Granby also had several 19^th century hotels as well. The Hayes Hotel building is the handsome Second Empire colonial with a French mansard roof which still stands at 255 Salmon Brook St. In West Granby center, Elam Kendall owned a 17- or 18-room hotel which still stands proudly at the intersection of West Granby and Simsbury Road.

The closest thing today to the traditional inn of ancient times is the bed and breakfast, where the establishment's owners are usually the ones providing the hospitality. Granby has two such inns, the Dutch Iris Inn on Salmon Brook Street and the Truman Gillet House on North Granby Road. Check them out and discover "old-fashioned" traditional hospitality today!

For more information check out these links!

TAVERNS

TAVERN SIGNS