Nat. Hill's Coffee & Drink
When Nathaniel Hill arrived in Boston in 1772, he purchased a tavern from an Englishman who wished to leave Boston and return to England. The man was so desperate to leave the political and social unrest behind that he sold the establishment for a fraction of what it was worth, allowing Nathaniel to purchase it with what little he had traveled with.
Purpose / Function
It was originally built as a tavern and inn. Nathaniel changed it to serve only as a coffeehouse during the day and a tavern in the evening, keeping the previous customers who were used to drinking there happy.
Architecture
A two-story wooden building with a flagstone floor on the first level. There is a hearth in the main room, surrounded by several wooden tables. There is a lantern at every table and three hanging above the bar. Behind the bar is the kitchen, partially walled off from the tavern room. The kitchen includes a fireplace and oven, both lined with brick. A store room and cellar is also in the kitchen, though walled off. This is where the alcohol is kept, along with a few other food related items. Outside there is a garden that grows herbs and vegetables in summer. At the far corner of the small yard is a small privy.
Upstairs are five bedrooms. They were once used for travelers, but are now empty aside from the ones used by Nathaniel and his associates. These are all simply furnished with a bed, desk, chair, wash basin, and wardrobe. The floors are wooden. The rooms in use have rugs covering much of the floor.
History
A Brief History of Coffeehouses
Coffeehouses were popular in both England and its American colonies in the 18th century. They were places where people gathered to conduct business, gossip, socialize, and, sometimes, plan rebellion. The establishments sold more than coffee, too. Most sold food, tea, chocolate, and alcohol. It was also popular for the owners to subscribe to multiple newspapers and other printed subscriptions in order to offer reading material to customers. During the period leading up to the beginning of the Revolution, coffeehouses were popular locations for people to gather to discuss how they meant to object to British policies. For more information on 18th century coffeehouse history, check out:- Coffeehouses: Free, yes, from debauchery and vice, but hotbeds of sedition (Colonial Williamsburg)
- Coffeehouses Brewed Patriotic Passions in the American Revolution (Revolutionary War Journal)
- Coffee Houses in Colonial Boston (Boston Tea Party Museum)
- Coffeehouses (The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia)
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