Thornton's Tavern

Thornton's Tavern. . , 1746 , The building in front of you is Fredericksburg's oldest documented structure. It was erected in 1746 and originally served as an ordinary (or tavern), operated by Thomas Thornton. The original entrance was on your left, facing a dirt lane that ran to a wharf and the city's first ferry, which operated into the 1820s., Samples taken from timbers in the building's basement were analyzed using dendrochronology (or tree-ring dating) to confirm the date of construction., 1862 , In December 1862, Union and Confederate forces clashed violently in the city's streets during the First Battle of Fredericksburg. The Tavern's owner, Elizabeth Long Eubanks (one of Fredericksburg's few female property owners at the time), returned after the fighting to find that her home had miraculously survived the battle with only minor damage (as shown in the photo below, taken in March of 1863)., 1890s , Charred wood visible in the Tavern's roof rafters survive from a devastating fire that struck the building sometime in the 1890s. During the repairs, owners Carter and Mary Honey relocated the front door to face Sophia Street., 1925 , During the 1920s, the Tavern was owned and occupied by Michael Genzberger who operated a nearby taxidermy and junk shop. This advertisement for the business, posted in the Daily Star in 1925, promised "Market Prices" for "Muskrats, Raccoons, O'Possums, [and] Minks.", 1937 , On April 26, 1937, a devastating flood hit Fredericksburg, leaving downtown homes and businesses under water for days. Dark staining, visible behind the Tavern's walls, marked the water levels, which reached nearly five feet above the floor. The home was again submerged in October 1942, when the city experienced its second major flood in five years., 2013 , The former tavern has been adapted for a variety of uses over the years, including a mercantile shop, private residence, and even a drug and alcohol treatment facility. In 2013, the owners completed an extensive and much needed rehabilitation of the 267-year-old building, breathing new life into Fredericksburg's oldest structure.