Tag Archives: Marvin Tavern

Photo Challenge #437

George Washington slept at the Marvin Tavern.

He only ate (and/or drank?) at the Disbrow Tavern. But that’s the one with the plaque that was featured as last week’s Photo Challenge. (Click here to see.)

The Disbrow Tavern — which the Father of Our Country visited as a general, leading patriot troops in the Revolutionary War — was at the site of the current Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, on Church Lane at Myrtle Avenue.

The plaque was placed in 1932, to commemorate the bicentennial of Washington’s birth.

His visit to the Marvin Tavern — near the present-day Post Road West and Kings Highway South — came later, during his presidency. The owner went all out to prepare a feast, but Washington ate and drank sparingly. And though he appreciated the effort, he was not pleased with his accommodations.

There is apparently also a plaque on the front lawn of a house at the corner of Hillandale and West Parish Roads, in the first president’s honor. Several readers thought either that, or the Disbrow Tavern site, was the subject of the photo.

Congratulations to John McCarthy, Elaine Marino, Seth Schachter, Peter Hirst, Jonathan Prager, Robin Jaffee Frank, Marcia Falk, Andrew Colabella and Matt McGrath for knowing exactly where George Washington slept.

Or, at least, ate.

The stone masonry in today’s Photo Challenge hints at an earlier age. But it’s more modern — perhaps, once, a way to protect mailboxes from destruction by what were then called “juvenile delinquents.”

If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Sunil Hirani)

Photo Challenge #269

Last week’s pre-Presidents Day Photo Challenge featured Anne Bernier’s shot of a plaque, honoring George Washington’s November 11, 1789 visit to Westport. (His 4th time here, though his only one as president.)

So where was the old Marvin Tavern — and where is the plaque today? (Click here for the photo.)

As Morley Boyd, Peter Barlow and Amy Schneider quickly noted, it stood on what we now call Post Road West, near Kings Highway South. Specifically, the plaque is at #290. That’s the United Food & Commercial Workers building, next to the empty UBS headquarters. Probably the only people who see the plaque are in the parking lot. Not a lot of foot traffic there.

According to Woody Klein’s history of Westport, President Washington spent the night of November 11, 1789 at the inn of Captain Ozias Marvin. His wife Sarah and her daughters cooked up a mammoth meal: “loaves of brown bread, pies, the finest vegetables from their farm, huge roasts hanging from an open fire.”

However, President Washington asked only for a bowl of bread, and milk. (The rest of his party enjoyed the feast.) In his diary, Washington called it “not a good house, though the people of it were disposed to do all they could to accommodate me.”

Today’s Photo Challenge seems pretty easy.

(Photo/Peter Tulupman)

Obviously, it’s 157 Riverside Avenue.

So here’s the question: Why is this a Photo Challenge?

If you know, click “Comments” below.

Photo Challenge #268

Last week’s Photo Challenge rang a bell with many readers.

Ed Simek’s image showed the large bell that sits outside the Saugatuck fire station — officially, it’s “Saugatuck Hose Company Engine Company 4” — on Riverside Avenue. (Click here to see.)

The bell is a favorite with kids who wander over from nearby Saugatuck Sweets. They also enjoy the restored 1940s-era fire truck — and the friendly, welcoming vibe from all the firefighters there.

Of course, sometimes they have to leave the station on a call. That’s why — as tempting as it is to inch forward — you should never block the road in front of the bell.

Andrew Colabella, Fred Cantor, Diane Silfen, Matt Murray, Wendy Cusick, Tom Risch, Mary Ann Batsell, Amy Schneider and Rick Benson all knew the answer to this very easy Photo Challenge.

Tomorrow is Presidents Day. (Or Presidents’ Day — the jury is out on that apostrophe.)

In its* honor, we present Anne Bernier’s Photo Challenge. Way back in the day, George Washington** really did sleep here. This plaque commemorates his visit.

(Photo/Anne Bernier)

So today’s Photo Challenge is: Where in Westport would you find Marvin Tavern today?

And if you’d like to get into the weeds, answer this one too: Why doesn’t the plaque call it Marvin’s Tavern?

*Not, for some reason, it’s.

** Whose February 22 birthday has been co-opted as a federal holiday, by all 44 presidents who followed him.