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

Salem Tavern Inn

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!