City Tavern

History

The land on which City Tavern was built was conveyed in 1772 by Samuel Powel to a group of seven wealthy citizens. The building was completed by subscription at a cost of more than £3,000. John Adams called it the "most genteel tavern in America," and it was a favorite meeting place of some of the Founding Fathers and members of the First Continental Congress. In the lead-up to the American Revolution, on May 20, 1774, more than 200 men gathered in the gallery of the building to respond to the request for assistance from Bostonians following the passage of the Boston Port Bill.

The first Fourth of July celebration was held at the building in 1777, marking the anniversary of America's Independence from Britain, and General George Washington first met the Marquis de Lafayette at City Tavern in 1777. The building was partially destroyed by fire on March 22, 1834, and was completely demolished by 1854. The present building was constructed in the 1970s and opened in 1976 for the United States Bicentennial as a functioning tavern and restaurant.

From 1994 to 2020, it was operated by Walter Staib, a chef and host of the television shows A Taste of History and Black Forest Cuisine: The Classic Blending of European Flavors. The Tavern closed in 2020 because of a severe downturn in business due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Park Service put the property up for a new lease in 2022.