The Colonial Tavern: A Glimpse of New England Town Life - a Social History of America's Bars in the 1600s and 1700s

Historian Edward Field's lively and informative examination of American colonial taverns and inns sheds light on the social life of towns and villages in the 1600s and 1700s.

Writing at the end of the 19^th century, Field makes use of a variety of sources that mention the tavern and its role. It is apparent that inns were the central hub of activity in the villages and small townships that constituted colonial North America. Many laws were drafted as to the proper running of these bars, and t...