Hallway | Taproom | Small Dining Room
Assembly Room | Dormer Bedchambers | Courtyard
The smaller building, where we begin our tour, was operated by John Wise during the mid 1780s with the help of ten enslaved African Americans that he owned. Conveniently located across the street from the market square and the Fairfax County courthouse, the tavern attracted travelers, farmers, merchants, lawyers as well as gentlemen like George Washington. As a traveler visiting the tavern, you would have seen the following rooms or areas in the ca. 1785 building:
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Hallway
Which way in?
As in most Georgian-style buildings, the front and back door of the tavern are connected by a central hallway. Patrons entering the tavern from Royal Street used the front door while those arriving on horseback or by carriage would enter through the backdoor where the courtyard and stables were located. The hallway was one of the most well-traveled sections of the tavern, providing access to the front and rear of the building, the taproom, the dining rooms, and the stairway to the second floor. Tavern workers also used the hallway to transport food from the courtyard kitchen to the dining rooms. In warm weather, the doors were often left wide open as the tavern bustled with activity.
Taproom
Need to quench your thirst for a drink or the latest news?
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Most men who entered the tavern proceeded straight to the taproom where they could eat, drink, smoke tobacco, play games, socialize, and catch up on the news of the day. Food was prepared in the kitchen behind the tavern and brought inside. Patrons did not order from a menu but instead ate whatever the tavern offered. While pork, beef, chicken and seafood were commonly available, tavern meals would vary throughout the year based on the seasonal availability of different fruits and vegetables. Rum was a popular drink during the period. At taverns like this, it was often mixed with sugar and fruit juice and served as a punch. Some taverns also offered local brandies, hard cider, beer and imported wines.
Small Dining Room
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In the mood for finer dining?
Across the hall from the Taproom are two small dining rooms. While one is being used as the museum's reception area and gift shop, the other is furnished as it would have been in the 18th century. Tavern keepers rented small dining rooms like this one, with its formal place-settings and cozy fire, to wealthy patrons who were willing to pay for more privacy and finer quality foods than what was served in the taproom. Many times, small meetings or club dinners were held in this room. George Washington dined at Wise's tavern on August 5, 1786 and may have been seated here. One of his favorite meals was canvas-back duck and hominy.
Assembly Room
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Want to throw a party, hold a meeting, or sell your wares?
An early newspaper ad reads: "There will be a Ball this Evening at Mr. Wise's Assembly-Room - It is given by the Gentlemen who compose the Light-Infantry Company." Located on the tavern's second floor, is the Assembly Room, a large open space used for parties, balls, and entertainment. Tavern rooms of this type were often the largest indoor spaces in town and were used by all members of the community, including women and children. The space was kept sparsely furnished so that it could be easily accommodate a variety of functions. A few local groups, such as the Potomack Company and the Alexandria Jockey Club met here. Itinerant tradesmen could rent the room to conduct business while they were in town. Advertisements placed in the local newspapers would notify locals of unique events or opportunities at the tavern.
Dormer Bedchambers
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How about a good night's sleep?
The third floor of the ca. 1785 tavern houses three bedchambers where travelers spent the night. In the 18th century, most people who stayed in taverns did not expect the privacy found in today's hotels. The rooms, and often the beds, might be shared by as many men as would fit in the space. Tavern keepers provided lodging, but not necessarily a bed, for a fee. Once the beds were filled, the travelers would find a place to sleep on the floor. Because there are no fireplaces in these bedchambers, they would have been cold in the winter, and the small windows provided little ventilation during the hot Virginia summers. Courtyard
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What’s happening out back? Behind most 18th-century taverns were a group of outbuildings, varying in size, which provided many of the services necessary to operate the tavern. A "Mutual Assurance Society" policy obtained by John Wise in 1796 to insure the tavern buildings, included a map of these outbuildings. It depicts a kitchen, coach house, stable, laundry house, and a necessary (outhouse). These buildings were primarily used by the tavern workers. Please notice the image of the original Mutual Assurance Map and a modern-day transcription of it. After 1802, the layout of the courtyard was modified. Gadsby renewed his lease with John Wise and agreed to build additional buildings in the courtyard at his own expense. He was instructed by the lease to build a large brick stable and another large brick structure which may have been used for additional guest rooms and service rooms. He was also given permission to demolish any of the existing structures that stood in the way of the new construction. While none of the original outbuildings exist today, three outbuildings have been reconstructed for use by Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant.
The 1792 City Tavern & Hotel | Tours Introduction
