Killington: Charity's 1887 Saloon (January 2002)

Charity's 1887 Saloon and Restaurant was built in 1971 by owner Jack Giguere and the Cold Weather Construction Company. Charity's has been a favorite gathering place for local patrons as well as seasonal visitors. Upon entering Charity's 1887 Saloon and Restaurant, one's attention is quickly drawn to the ornate antique bar gracing the wall opposite the entrance. It is made entirely of cherry wood with a handrail and pillars of Italian marble. This exquisite piece of craftsmanship was originally constructed in France and shipped to the US in 1887 for an Italian immigrant named Joe Verzi. The bar came from Verzi's Saloon and Restaurant in Davis, West Virginia around the turn of the century. History tells us that Davis was quite a mining and lumbering boomtown in the late 1800s, and Mr. Verzi was able to parlay his investment into an entire block of buildings that included, in addition to the saloon, a hotel, a barbershop, and numerous other small businesses. Among these was an establishment operated by one Miss Charity, which most surely enjoyed the degree of popularity one would expect in a town full of miners and lumberjacks. Today, Charity's serves a variety of food from wings, steaks, seafood, BBQ, pasta, and a variety of specials every day. Charity's Tavern has 16 micro beers on tap, and over 35 specialty beers in the bottle.