Fraunces Tavern in NYC

 

OFD chose Fraunces Tavern, 54 Pearl Street, as a lunch destination when we were in NYC in September. 

AI Overview

Built in 1719 (making it the oldest surviving building in Manhattan) and purchased by Samuel Fraunces in 1762 to open the "Queen's Head" tavern. 

After learning about the role the Tavern played in the American Revolution, I was excited to see it because my mother has ancestors who lived in New York City at the time and participated in the war. One of them may have been in Fraunces Tavern or Queen's Head as it was known at the time.

We enjoyed lunch in one of the bars on the first level. It has multiple themed bars and dining/event rooms, on two levels.

The Fraunces Tavern building was originally built by the De Lancey family in 1719 as an elegant private home.

Fraunces Tavern was established in 1762 by Samuel Fraunces.

In 1900, when 54 Pearl Street was threatened with demolition, the Daughters of the American Revolution with the aid of the Honorable Andrew H. Green, founder and president of the Society for the Preservation of Scenic and Historic Places, came together to try and save 54 Pearl Street for preservation.

Beautiful, restored stairways to the museum on the upper level. 

When restoration was completed in 1907, the building was dedicated and opened as a Museum and Restaurant on December 4, the anniversary of Washington’s Farewell to his officers.

By the 1960s, Fraunces Tavern and museum grew to include four surrounding buildings.

A timeline of the history of the building can be found on the Fraunces Tavern website:

Fraunces Tavern

Most of my information is from this site. The photos are all mine.

Fraunces Tavern had 7 private boarding rooms. The museum contains artifacts typical of the 1700s. The museum has over 2000 artifacts related to the role it played in the Revolutionary War.

It operated as a boarding house with a bar from 1762 until the 1840s.

Although he probably provided some overnight accommodations, Fraunces preferred long-term “boarders” or lodgers – by week, month, quarter-year, or year.

the writing desk

chamber pot under the bed

Fraunces’ household consisted of a minimum of 14 people: Fraunces and his wife, two sons, five daughters, several indentured servants and enslaved persons of African descent, a hired maid, and a waiter.

One of the very few portraits of George Washington without his wig. He was a red-head. I did not know that until this trip.

Taverns were centers of community in the 18th century. Fraunces Tavern was a place where travelers and locals would exchange the latest news and ideas. Entertainment, such as musicians, could be found at the Tavern. The New York Chamber of Commerce was founded at the Tavern in 1768. Many New York clubs and organizations held meetings at the Tavern such as the New York City Sons of Liberty, New York Society Library, the Social Club, the Friendly Brothers of St. Patrick, the Knights of the Order of Corsica, and the Saint Andrew’s Society.

I believe I read the fireplaces were original 

china cupboard

Fraunces boasted that the Queen’s Head Tavern in New York served “the best Clubs” and provided the public with the “greatest entertainments.” He was known for his cooking. He supervised the Tavern kitchen operations and performed the specialty cooking himself, notably the preparation of desserts. His cooking style was English. Meats were central to the 18th century diet, and Fraunces advertised serving beef steak, mutton or pork chops, and veal cutlets as well as soup and the popular oysters – fried or pickled. The major meal, ordinarily served around 1:30, commonly consisted of a variety of dishes, several courses, and served a large number of people. A wide variety of desserts, such as cakes, tarts, jellies, syllabubs, blaumage and sweet meats, usually found in only the best taverns, were available at the Queen’s Head.

game table in the corner of one of the dining rooms

displayed in one of the museum dining rooms

I rather doubt that was where it would have been used

the table in the Long Room

• On June 14, 1776, the New York Provincial Congress hosted a banquet in the Long Room of Fraunces Tavern for General George Washington, his staff and officers to express their gratitude for the defense of the colony. The party raised 31 toasts throughout the evening, starting with the Congress and the American Army, and ending with “Civil and religious liberty to all mankind.” It was a raucous affair, with officers singing campaign songs accompanied by fife and drum. The final bill presented by Samuel Fraunces, totaling £91, included 78 bottles of Madeira, 30 bottles of port, and sixteen shillings for “wine glasses broken.”

• On November 25, 1783, after the last of the British Army evacuated New York City, General George Washington led the Continental Army through the City culminating in an Evacuation Day celebration held at Fraunces Tavern.

• On December 4, 1783, General George Washington bid an emotional farewell to his officers at the end of the Revolutionary War in the Long Room at the Fraunces Tavern.

While doing research to refresh my memory of the photos I took, I got caught up in the life of Samuel Fraunces. (The link will take you to a web page about his life.) He was an entrepreneur, a Patriot, a spy, captured by the British, the cook for a British General, a farmer, and finally...

As the newly elected President, Washington hired Fraunces as his chief steward in New York from May 1789 to February 1790. He was responsible for overseeing the operation of the house and a staff of twelve. Fraunces also selected food for Washington’s table and supervised its preparation. The relationship between Fraunces and Washington appears to have been all business. Fraunces was allotted a small budget for his purchases as chief steward, which he struggled to stay within. Maintaining a tight purse was Washington’s way of avoiding projecting a royal image of grandeur to the public and politicians. The two men appear to have had at least one disagreement over the serving of wine at the servant’s table.

After the Federal government moved to Philadelphia in 1790, Samuel Fraunces rejoined Washington’s household. It was on this move that Fraunces bought property in Philadelphia, which included two houses, where he resettled his family.

Samuel Fraunces left Washington’s household in 1794 on good terms. Fraunces died at the age of 72. He was interred on October 12, 1795, in Philadelphia’s St. Peter’s Church burying ground.

Samuel Fraunces came to New York from the West Indies in 1755. Various traditions have ascribed him French, English, Portuguese, and possibly African backgrounds, but no definitive records of his ethnic heritage remain. He is recorded in the 1790 census as "white," was a registered voter, and a Freemason.