My spouse and I visited the historic Fraunces Tavern for
drinks on a Saturday afternoon in mid-August 2017. The Tavern and museum are
open daily from 11:00 am until 2:00 am for lunch/brunch, dinner, and drinks.
The Fraunces Tavern occupies a block in the Financial
District, bordered by Pearl, Broad, and Water Streets. The land originally held
the home of mayor Stephanus van Cortland, but in the year 1700, he gifted the
property to his daughter and son-in-law, merchant Stephan Delancey, to build
their home. Nearly 50 years later, innkeeper Samuel Fraunces purchased the
building (whose small yellow bricks were imported from the Dutch Republic) to
open a tavern called Queen’s Head. In the years since, the Tavern has expanded
to include four 19th century adjacent buildings on the same block. The Tavern is famous for serving as George
Washington’s headquarters during the American Revolution, where he held peace
negotiations with the British, and where he gave his farewell address to the
officers of the Continental Army in 1783. Fraunces Tavern is sometimes said to be Manhattan’s oldest surviving
building. Any reconstructions and renovations resemble buildings typical of the
period, and parts of original walls were incorporated wherever possible.
The Tavern now offers eight different spaces to drink, dine,
listen to music, and learn about history. Spaces include the Porterhouse Bar (which
had live music when we visited),
Bourbon Lounge (second floor), Wine Room, Bissell Room (with a mural painted in
the early 1700s), Dingle Whiskey Bar (which has a fireplace), Lafayette’s
Hideout, and the Washington Room (private dining beneath a crystal chandelier).
We spent our time in the Lafayette’s Hideout room, which we entered by climbing
a few steps from Water Street (across the street from the Governor’s Island
ferry terminal). The rustic atmosphere of the Hideout includes wood plank
floors, a low wood-beamed ceiling, a long wooden bar, and high-top tables with
stools; it also offers a few TVs so that you can watch your favorite sporting
event amidst the historic surroundings. Upstairs, you can tour the nine Fraunces
Tavern museum rooms to learn more about its American history and collection of artifacts.
We enjoyed our drinks in the historic Fraunces Tavern’s
Lafayette Hideout room. Next time, we’ll also check out the museum upstairs.
January 2018:
