National Register of Historic Places

Mixer Tavern

Ashford, Windham County, Connecticut
Listed
March 17, 1994
Type
Building
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
94000253

About this property

The Mixer Tavern is a historic tavern, now a private residence, at 14 Westford Road in Ashford, Connecticut. Portions of the building date to 1710, making it one of Ashford's oldest buildings. It is also distinctive for its well-preserved tavern features, and its long history (into the 20th century) as a traveler's accommodation and local meeting point. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. The Mixer Tavern is located near what is now the village center of Ashford, at the northeast corner of Westford Road and Pompey Hollow Road (United States Route 44). It is oriented facing south toward Pompey Hollow Road behind a thick screen of trees. It is a 2+1⁄2-story wood-frame structure, five bays wide, with a side-gable roof and center chimney. Additions extend the size an additional two bays to the west, and also to the rear. The interior is based on a typical Georgian center chimney plan, except the right side has a small chamber behind the front parlor space, from which it is separated by a half-wall with a folding door. The left front parlor space has particularly fine woodwork in the fireplace surround. The kitchen space at the rear provides access to a distinctive walk-in storage vault that is built into the chimney. This feature is an enlarged version of storage spaces sometimes seen in older chimneys, a clear indication of the building's early use as a tavern. The oldest portions of the building are traditionally dated to 1710, when John Mixer purchased the property (then 100 acres (40 ha), now just 13), and applied for a license to operate a tavern. In addition to its well-preserved vernacular 18th-century architecture (including rarely-preserved tavern features), it is the only known tavern to operate in what is now Ashford for many years, and continued in that role into the early 20th century. It underwent a significant restoration effort in the 1920s. National Register of Historic Places listings in Windham County, Connecticut

Location

14 Westford Rd.
Ashford, Windham County, Connecticut
41.86591, -72.15900

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Knowlton Memorial Hall
Industrial
0.5 mi
Church Farm
Industrial
1.9 mi
Ashford Academy
Industrial
1.9 mi
Union Society of Phoenixville House
Civil War
3.8 mi
Natchaug Forest Lumber Shed
Industrial
4.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mixer Tavern listed on the National Register?

Mixer Tavern was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 17, 1994.

What type of historic resource is Mixer Tavern?

Mixer Tavern is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mixer Tavern?

The period of significance for Mixer Tavern is recorded as the early_republic era.

Can I research the history near Mixer Tavern?

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