Westerly And Its Witnesses PDF Download

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1878 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XLII PUBLIC-HOUSES. Neatily the whole of the present village of Westerly, south of Babcock Brook that runs under East Broad Street, was once held by Edward Penison (son of George, and grandson of Colonel George). He built a house on the present site of the Dixon House, which was, withal, an inn. This house was afterwards enlarged, and was always a tavern till removed to make room for the present noble structure. Mr. Denison was drowned while fording the Pawcatuck on horse in the night near Boom Bridge, returning from his estate at Ashaway. The inns or taverns of the former century were simply large dwelling-houses located on the highway, having one front room for a bar, and a large barn for horses. And such in substance they remained till within the last twenty years. The house near the west end of the bridge, now owned by Mrs. Martha C. Noyes, was formerly an inn. The first building erected purposely as an inn on the west side of the bridge was the Pawcatuck Hotel, composed of brick, built by Dr. Joseph D. Kenyon in 1853, and used as a public-house till 1867, when it was sold, to bo used simply as a boarding-house. For a time it was known as the "Red Jug." The Dixon House, of which we give an engraving, was erected in 1866 and 1867, by Messrs. Babcock and Moss, and is one of the largest and finest hotels in New England, composed of iron, stone, and brick. In honor of a worthy family, it is called the Dixon i House. The architect was Mr. Peleg Clarke, Jr. The main building measures 112x61 feet; the wing, 92x38; height, five stories; the material, brick. The front of the lower story is iron; this story is mainly devoted to shops and offices, elegantly finished with black walnut. The cost of the edifice and its attachments was...