Josiah Smith Tavern
The Josiah Smith Tavern in Weston is not just a single historic building, but a location on one of the most important early roads in America: The Boston Post Road.
Established in the 1600s and formalized in the early 18th century, the Boston Post Road connected Boston to New York and served as the main artery of communication in the colonies. Mail riders traveled this route on horseback, stopping at taverns like this one to rest, change horses and deliver news.
Built in 1757, the Josiah Smith Tavern became part of this living network along the Boston Post Road. It was not an isolated place, but connected to the flow of people, information and ideas moving between the colonies. By the time the years leading up to the American Revolution unfolded, the road itself had taken on new importance. It was no longer just a mail route but an information highway. Debates on colonial rights traveled this road in conversation long before they were acted upon in the streets.
Inside the Josiah Smith Tavern, ideas would have been discussed, questioned and passed along. Unlike the nearby Golden Ball Tavern, which became tied to the Loyalist sentiment, this tavern represents a space where people along the road gathered to hear what was happening and decide what they believed.
There is no one event that occurred at this Tavern, but it is a place along this historic route.
The Boston Post Road gave it purpose and brought the world to its doorstep.
Read More From Nancy
Henry Knox Trail Marker
As I continue to travel through eastern Massachusetts, I have made it a personal tradition to stop whenever I encounter one of the Henry Knox Trail markers. Although each monument commemorates the same remarkable journey, every marker represents another community through which Knox and his artillery train passed during the winter of 1775–1776. This marker […]
A Chinese Tea Box
Among the many furnishings displayed in the historic Golden Ball Tavern in Weston, Massachusetts, this small Chinese tea box caught my attention. It tells a remarkable story about international trade, the value of tea, and the surprising connections between colonial New England and Asia. The box was crafted in China during a time when Chinese […]
Wellington Farm
I have driven by this sign on Wellesley Street countless times over the years. I noticed it often enough, but I never stopped to ask what it meant. “Wellington Farm Historic District” sounded important, yet there was no grand mansion, famous monument, or obvious attraction drawing attention to itself. It was simply another sign along […]
