Drink Where George Washington Drank
Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player…
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated since its original publication date. (2024)
When you hoist a pint of Dear Old Mum at Chowning’s Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, you’re renewing a tradition started by America’s founding fathers back in the 1700s. Stop into any of the pubs on the street Franklin Roosevelt called “the most historic avenue in all of America,” and you’ll imbibe in the very halls in which a nation was born.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry all rubbed elbows, spun stories and planted the seeds of a revolution at these taverns located on Duke of Gloucester Street. This avenue, named after the heir to the English throne, not only became a business and hospitality hub, but also America’s second-ever university and the future site of Virginia’s capitol building.
With thanks to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for preserving our storied past, you can raise your glass at the same watering holes graced by the men and women who fought for America’s independence. Let’s stroll down Duke of Gloucester Street and see what they’re pouring, eating and singing today.
Chowning’s Tavern
Perhaps the liveliest roadhouse in Williamsburg is Chowning’s Tavern. The black and white checked symbol under their sign notifies patrons that Gambols are permissible here. While drinking apricot brandy from an actual punch bowl or savoring a glass of Old Stitch brown ale, a Gambols sign signifies the favorite games of the 18th century. These pastimes may involve dice, sleight of hand or at least a raucous song from one of the in-house balladeers.
If you arrive with an appetite, Brunswick stew or Welsh Rarebit are two of the most requested items on the menu. As they like to say at Chowning’s: “The longer we sit here and drink, the merrier we shall be.”
King’s ArmsTavern
The hostess will request your full name before you may enter the genteel King’s Arms Tavern. That’s so you can be addressed in formal Mr., Mrs., or Ms. fashion.
The King’s Arms is a step back in time event, complete with employees wearing authentic era garb, a dining-by- candlelight atmosphere and menu offerings that feature signature 1700s fare. Popular lunch or dinner selections include Pottage Pye, Chop of Shoat and Peanut Soupe.
When dining or drinking at the King’s Arms, know that this tavern was a favorite of revolutionary period politicians and well-heeled elite. Less than a block from the state capitol, a French traveler wrote in his 1765 diary that the King’s Arms was, “where all the best people stay.”
Christiana Campbell’s Tavern
Long before women’s suffrage, the glass ceiling or Shark Tank, there was Christiana Campbell. After her husband died in 1755, Campbell opened a tavern to support herself and her two daughters.
Campbell’s tavern was one of Williamsburg’s most successful businesses for over 20 years. On the eve of the Revolution, many of the colony’s leaders met at Campbell’s tavern to discuss strategy about how the colonies could gain independence from England.
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were among Christiana’s clientele. Washington especially loved the tavern’s seafood. In line with this tradition, today’s Waterman’s Supper features clam chowder, stuffed flounder, a crab cake and grilled shrimp.
Wetherburn’s Tavern
You’ll notice a building on Gloucester Street called Shield’s Tavern. Look across the street and you’ll find Wetherburn’s Tavern. In the mid 1700s, these taverns formed a merger born out of death, marriage and convenient “DOG” (Duke of Gloucester)Street proximity.
When Anne Shield’s husband died in 1750, she married Henry Wetherburn, the tavern keeper residing across the road from her husband’s drinking and lodging establishment. After marrying Anne, Henry then operated Wetherburn’s and Shield’s. When Henry died shortly thereafter, Anne took over as innkeeper, barkeeper and woman about town.
You should note that Wetherburn’s is one of several Williamsburg establishments thought to be haunted. Apparently the ghosts of revolution past were not fond of the grape. This assumption could be made after Wetherburn’s was renovated in 1968. During the restoration process, 50 wine bottles filled with cherries were found intact and buried under the site’s foundation.
Street of Dreams
Walking Gloucester Street is like living in a time capsule. Each building has a story reflecting life back in the days of the revolution. An inn’s guest reserving a night’s stay at a 1700s Gloucester Street tavern could expect to share a bed with an equally weary complete stranger. Anecdotes like this accompany every Colonial Williamsburg structure.
While attending to your food and beverage needs, knowledgeable employees at Chowning’s or King’s Arms gladly share tidbits on their historical counterparts, their place of employment and the history of Williamsburg. Visit the taverns on Gloucester and you can’t help but connect with the Washingtons, Jeffersons and Campbells of the day.
So as you hoist a glass of Bristol Ale in Williamsburg, remember to toast the legends of the revolution who drank before you. When you drink where Washington, Jefferson, and Henry drank, you’re where all the best people stay.
