TAVERN IN "OLD" PARIS
Among the items donated to the Jennings County Library by the family of Bill & Catherine (Humphrey) Coons were the two
pictures below, they are dated 1967. Her notes with them say "The Tavern, You can make out the six windows across the front upstairs. Since
I took these pictures the building has been completely encased in vertical boards, windows, doors, and all.
Figuring that a window is about 3 feet wide, and the space between the windows is about the same (3 feet)- 13 x 3 would make the the front 39 or 40 feet wide. You can tell by looking at the end view of the building, it was about one half as deep as it was wide, which would mean it was roughly 40 x 20.
I think it was built about 1834, certainly before 1837 when James Keith bought it and became the tavern keeper until 1854. Philip Jones was the tavern keeper from 1855 until his death, 1899.
It impressed me how well-built the tavern was - not a sag anywhere after over 100 years. Also how snug the weatherboard was fitted at the corners, on the second floor where it had been undisturbed by doors being cut."
Figuring that a window is about 3 feet wide, and the space between the windows is about the same (3 feet)- 13 x 3 would make the the front 39 or 40 feet wide. You can tell by looking at the end view of the building, it was about one half as deep as it was wide, which would mean it was roughly 40 x 20.
I think it was built about 1834, certainly before 1837 when James Keith bought it and became the tavern keeper until 1854. Philip Jones was the tavern keeper from 1855 until his death, 1899.
It impressed me how well-built the tavern was - not a sag anywhere after over 100 years. Also how snug the weatherboard was fitted at the corners, on the second floor where it had been undisturbed by doors being cut."
Front view
End view
This old building finally "fell down" just a few years ago, which would mean it stood for about 175 years.
In pioneer Indiana, an inn was commonly called a "tavern", however, these early "taverns" were hostelries to provide food and shelter to the traveler and were in no sense saloons.
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