The Merrell Tavern, known more recently as the Merrell Inn, is a historic tavern at 1565 Pleasant Street (

Massachusetts Route 102 Massachusetts Route 102 (MA 102) is a west–east state highway in western Massachusetts. Its western terminus is at the New York border where it connects to New York State Route 22 (NY 22) in Canaan, New York, and its eastern terminus i ...

) in

South Lee, Massachusetts The South Lee Historic District encompasses the historic portion of the village of South Lee in Lee, Massachusetts. Extending mainly along Massachusetts Route 102 (Pleasant Street) between Fairview Street and the Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Sto ...

. Built in 1794 as a residence, it has served for most of two centuries as a local traveler's accommodation, and retains fine Federal period architectural details. > It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1972. It continues to serve its historic function, and is now operated as a bed and breakfast inn.

Description and history

The Merrell Tavern is located on the south side of Pleasant Street, near the western end of the roughly linear village. It is a -story wood-frame structure, five bays wide, with a gable roof and brick sidewalls. The main facade is covered by a two-story porch extending across its full width. The porch is supported by tapered square columns on the first level, and round Doric columns on the second. The tavern was built as a residence in 1794 by Joseph Whiton, a local militia commander. It was one of the first brick houses of the Federal period in the region, with some of its design elements taken from the published drawings of

Asher Benjamin Asher Benjamin (June 15, 1773July 26, 1845) was an American architect and author whose work transitioned between Federal architecture and the later Greek Revival architecture. His seven handbooks on design deeply influenced the look of cities a ...

. It was acquired in 1815 by the Merrell family, who would operate it has a tavern for over a century. The Merrells enlarged the building, adding its third story ballroom and its two-story porch in 1838. The inn's taproom is remarkably well-preserved, with nearly all of its original features intact, including painted oak graining. The inn was acquired in the 20th century by the

Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities Historic New England, previously known as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA), is a charitable, non-profit, historic preservation organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It is focused on New England ...

(now

Historic New England Historic New England, previously known as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA), is a charitable, non-profit, historic preservation organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It is focused on New England a ...

, or HNE), which operated it as one of its museum properties for a time. It has since been sold into private ownership, with preservation easements held by HNE.

References

{{Historic New England National Register of Historic Places in Berkshire County, Massachusetts Taverns in Massachusetts Drinking establishments on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Buildings and structures in Berkshire County, Massachusetts Commercial buildings completed in 1794 1817 establishments in Massachusetts Historic district contributing properties in Massachusetts Lee, Massachusetts Historic New England

Description and history

See also

References