Monday, December 19, 2011

Old Salem Inn, Continued and a Poem "Salem Tavern Inn" & "Barn Charm"

Salem Tavern Inn is now a restaurant
The above photo is for the "Creative Exchange"

The dining area

With indented seats, 
curved backed
straight or slatted,

an offering was made
to stranger as friend, 

the chair's legs braced
to take the load 
from shoulders weary.

Traveler  slid upon patina, smooth
 or stretched shiny rattan a bit,

as by hearth they sat,
warming belly with malt beer,
claret, or cyder royal.

Followed for sure
by conversation,
dinner with ham roast, boiled,

all dependent upon coinage 
in one's purse.

and then sent off two, 
three men to a bed,

with good proof whiskey, 
brandy, or West Indies rum.

by Margaret Bednar, Art Happens 365, December 19, 2011

The hearth in the dining area - I wish more homes still had real fireplaces!
The Bar located in the front entryway hall



This was the owner's quarters, between the kitchen and dining room
A simple upstairs room, usually shared by 2 or 3 men
* * * * *
The exterior photo of the Salem Tavern Inn (a restaurant today) is the addition made when the business expanded and more space for lodging was needed.  Back in the day, both buildings were connected.  The interior photos are from the original (first) building below (for some reason I forgot to get a front photo of this building. 

One interesting point to be made, is there are no front windows on the main level.  This was done on purpose to address the concerns of the residents;  they did not wish the activities inside to be visible from the streets.

The exterior front porch of the original Salem Tavern Inn

And the following is for "Barn Charm" - a closer look at how the Old Salem Tavern Inn barns were used:

The barn had two big "holding" areas on each side of the barn under the hay loft.  Each had a long trough that ran along its length.  My best guess is the mares were kept on one side, geldings in the other and they all had to get along rather quickly.  No individual stalls I could see.  If anyone knows horses, I can't imagine doing that today - I would be so afraid of the kicking and biting that might go on.  And mares can be so dominating; oh the squealing that must have gone on!



16 comments:

Ginnie Hart said...

You did indeed show the fire buckets! I love that you're showing so much of this "bewitched" town! Thank you.

TexWisGirl said...

i'm thinking, 3 men to a bed and that open mix of horses, no one got much rest there! :)

Brian Miller said...

really cool place...lots of history and stories there i am sure...great pics...three to a bed...there is an old farm house not too far away and they did much the same...they did not stay in as much then as we do now...

Lisa Gordon said...

Margaret, your photography has made some of the simplest things, so very, very beautiful. So nicely done!

Thank you so much for sharing at The Creative Exchange this week.

I wish you a beautiful Holiday!

lisa.

izzy said...

Lovely as always!
I thought at first the fire buckets were feed bags for horses!
Those ladder back chairs always catch 1 pointy vertebrae of mine- unless I sit in a sagged seat!
Wow I agree with the worry about mares in the barn!
3 to a bed, on a straw mattress?
turned or not- they get dented !
(and only re-stuffed once a year)
-Now- how about foot warmers ? 3 bricks ? Happy Christmas-

Rachel Hoyt said...

Wow. I would love to visit that place and I feel like I did from afar through your lovely words and photos. thanks!

Rosie Grey said...

Thanks so much for your wonderful photos, Margaret! I find it so interesting to see old buildings and interiors - thanks so much for sharing these! Happy Holidays to you and your family!

theconstantwalker said...

A woderful post to read... lovely images.

Susan said...

I love all your photos. Just beautiful!

Rose said...

I love these photos...all of them.

Pat said...

It's a beautiful place! I love the bare wood floors and the unadorned windows.

barbara l. hale said...

What a beautiful place! Terrific photos!

Carletta said...

Such lovely elegant lines - the simplicity is soothing.
These images remind me of Williamsburg, Virginia.
Beautiful shots!

genie said...

Love seeing the additional pictures of the inside of the barn. I really do need to get back down there for another vista. It ihas been so long. I am really enjoin your posts. genie

Anonymous said...

Sooo cool! What a gorgeous barn =)

I'm very late this week visiting Barn Charmers, so sorry!

Thanks so much for joining =)

The Artful Diva said...

Wonderful photos! Happy New Year. I hope yours is full of joy, peace, love and creativity!