The History of Daniel Glazier Tavern
The Daniel Glazier Tavern is located at the west end of the Willington green. This federal period, two story, hip roofed structure was built around 1815 by Daniel Glazier. At the time, the location was at the junction of Wolcott’s road (today’s Rt. 74) and the Norwich to Springfield highway (now Rt. 320) that crossed the lower portion of the green and continued up and over the hill behind the tavern heading toward Stafford (a portion of this road is still evident on the property).
Since April 6, 2009 the Willington Historical Society has been able to call the tavern home. This was made possible through the personal generosity of Mr. Edward Williams, who gifted the building and the three acre lot to the society. At the time, he said that he and his late wife Martha had thought that the former tavern and the society were a “good fit.”
The idea of having a permanent home for the society, which could serve as a town museum and educational center, was a dream that was driven by the town of Willington’s late historian, Isabel Weigold.
For many years Isabel hoped that the society would be able to find an appropriate building in Willington, to house and display the many artifacts that the Society has acquired over the years. It was Isabel’s determination and persistence that brought the historical society and the Williams together for discussions about the possible acquisition of their property, should it become available. A process that was started in 2003.
The building retains many of the interior features from the early 19th century including the large central chimney that served five fireplaces. Three of these are on the first floor, one served the area used as the taproom which occupies the easterly half of the first floor space (facing the town common). Another served the parlor which is located in the front, southwest corner, and the remaining fireplace served the remaining northwest portion of the floor reserved for the kitchen. The two fireplaces on the second floor would have serviced a bedroom in the front, Southwest corner and the ballroom that occupied the eastern half of the second floor. The two other smaller rooms on this level, were unheated.
Tavern Keepers
The town tavern was both a transportation and information center for many rural communities and vital to community life. They were usually located at a place that made it an essential stopping point for travelers on foot, horseback or stagecoach. It was a gathering place for local folks as well as travelers stopping for food, drink, lodging and to fodder their horses and who brought news from distant cities or towns, which served as a fresh and timely source of information for the populace of rural communities. The tavern was a place for interaction, a place for meeting and sharing thoughts with others, a place for telling stories (and I bet a few good ones were spun over the years), a place for respite from foul weather or a trying journey, and home for the innkeeper and his family.
During the time of the tavern, it served stagecoaches and travelers on two roads. The barn across the road (Northeast of the tavern and long gone) housed the horses that would replace the tired animals that had made the long journey to that point. The driver and passengers of the yellow stagecoach could relax from their rigorous journey and would be refreshed with food and drink before resuming their jarring coach ride.
Tavern Keepers of Record
Isaac Glazier, son of Daniel Glazier who had built the tavern served as the first tavern proprietor from the time of its construction until his death on February 4, 1835.
Arial Eldridge served as the tavern keeper from 1835 to 1838. He bought the tavern property from Daniel Glazier in 1835. Arial Eldridge was Daniel Glazier's son in-law.
Alden Skinner was a tavern keeper of record from 1838 to 1839. He had purchased the tavern from Eldridge in March of 1838.
Fielder Heath closed out the period when a tavern was kept in the building. He bought the property, with buildings thereon standing in September of 1839. Town records indicate that town meetings, during the cold winter months, continued to be held in the ballroom of the tavern until 1840. The reasoning for using the ballroom was that the basement of the Town Meetinghouse, used for town meetings, lacked any form of heat.