Wright's Tavern

United States historic place

Significant dates

Wright's Tavern
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
U.S. Historic district Contributing property

Wright's Tavern
42°27′36″N 71°20′57″W / 42.46000°N 71.34917°W / 42.46000; -71.34917
Built	1747
Part of	Concord Monument Square-Lexington Road Historic District (ID77000172)
NRHP reference No.	66000793
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966^[1]
Designated NHL	January 20, 1961^[2]
Designated CP	September 13, 1977

Wright's Tavern is a historic tavern located in the center of Concord, Massachusetts. It is now a National Historic Landmark owned by the Society of the First Parish, Concord, with important associations with the Battle of Lexington and Concord at the start of the American Revolution.

Overview

Wright's Tavern was built in 1747 by Ephraim Jones, who operated it until 1751. At the dawn of the American Revolution in April 1775, it was managed by Amos Wright, whose name it has borne ever since. On April 19, the day of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, when the courthouse bell announced the approach of Major Pitcairn's British troops, the Concord Minutemen assembled at Wright's Tavern. Later, after Pitcairn's arrival in the Concord square, British officers refreshed themselves in the tavern.^[3]

The tavern also has earlier links to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress which met next door in October 1774, in the First Parish Church. With John Hancock as president and Benjamin Lincoln as secretary, the Congress consisted of 300 delegates from Massachusetts towns who passed measures ending tax payments to the Crown and organizing a militia force to defy King George III by arms if necessary. Wright's Tavern was used as a meeting place for committees of the Congress during the 5-day session.

Since the Revolution the building has been put to many uses. Today the tavern is still in good condition with red clapboards and a double-hipped (monitor) roof above its two main stories. It is being restored to its 1775 condition as a museum and scheduled to open in 2024.^[4]

References

^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
^ "Wright's Tavern". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
^ Hudson, Alfred Sereno (1904). The History of Concord, Massachusetts, Vol. I, pp. 6–7. Concord, Massachusetts: The Erudite Press.
^ "Concord's Wright Tavern: Updates for CPC". Town of Concord. January 2022.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wright's Tavern.

Wright Tavern listing at New England Travel Planner
Concord Museum signs historic agreement to operate the Wright Tavern, 2016

U.S. National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts

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