Dan,

Perhaps the Fonda Tavern, which is on the north side of the river but the south side of Route 5. It has been continually worked on during the past decade.

An intern of mine did a survey of tavern sites along the Mohawk in the 1990s, largely using maps, the "Mohawk Turnpike Book", "Forts and Firesides of the Mohawk Valley", historic marker lists, etc. The data was integrated into the files, but was never pulled together as a separate document.

Phil Lord

Philip Lord, Jr.
Director, Division of Museum Services
New York State Museum
Albany, NY
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Website: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/services.html

>>> [log in to unmask] 03/13/01 08:22PM >>>
I am trying to recall where a particularly wonderful old tavern was located
in the Mohawk Valley but have drawn an absolute blank.  It was in the
beginning stages of being fixed up when I last saw it a about 1990 and I am
wondering what ever happened to it (I also need a reference for some
research I am doing).

It was on the north side, along NY 5, and perhaps not as far west as Little
Falls.  The most remarkable thing about it, besides being incredibly old,
was that you could see the internal construction of short chunks of logs
laid up between the widely-spaced studs or framing members and then mud
packing to seal it all tight.  It was a big beast of a building, and
wonderfully put together, with a wonderful seeries of changes visible in
the material and form.

Any one have any clues???

I know Phil Lord has been studying the transportation routes, canals, and
many of the old taverns, and I was also wondering if there was any good
comprehensive modern history of the taverns and tavern keepers of the
valley (or elsewhere in NY State for that matter)?  I have done a lot of
work on local taverns but find primarily research on individual buildings
rather than a study of accomodations in a particular area or larger region.
 Taverns of Central and Western NY would be grand!

        Dan W.
        http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyccazen/
        http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyccazen/Shorts/Taverns.html
        http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyccazen/Shorts/Johnson.html
        http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyccazen/Shorts/MadCoHotel.html