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Richard Sparrow House, ca. 1640, Plymouth, MA

he Richard Sparrow House is the The Sparrows did, however, keep the land
oldest surviving wood-frame house they owned that surrounded the house as an
Tin Plymouth. investment, and may have even rented it out.
Richard Sparrow, his wife Pandora, and While in Eastham, Richard remained
son Jonathan left their home in England active in the colonial government, serving as
and arrived in New Plimoth, MA by 1633. Eastham’s representative to Plymouth, and
As a freeman, Richard was granted a hous- as deputy to the General Court. Upon his
ing tract of six acres in 1636, which death in 1660, Richard Sparrow was buried
required him to construct a house within in Eastham, and his estate was divided
four years. For his small family, Sparrow among his wife, son, and three surviving
built a two-story house, measuring 35’ grandchildren.
north to south by 37’ east to west and con- circa 1910 In 1988, the Plimoth Patuxet Museum
taining one room on each level. With its (formerly Plymouth Plantation) undertook
large rooms, leaded glass windows, and paneled walls, it was a grand an excavation of The Sparrow House focused on the yard on the south
home on the banks of what is now known as Town Brook. An 18th side of the house overlooking Town Brook. The artifact analysis and
century addition by its then-owner was added to the western end, cataloging centered on three classes of items: ceramics, tobacco pipes, and
providing the house with a standard hall and parlor. faunal remains. Items such as a Baluster jar, stoneware tankard, jugs,
A surveyor by trade, Sparrow was actively involved in the Colony and scalloped edged combed pan, ceramic-made chamber pots, and other
appointed to “View of the Meadows” in 1640. decorative objects made of Staffordshire Slipware, Westerwald Stoneware,
During that same year and the following one, he and North Devon Gravel Free stone-ware were unearthed and dated to
also served as Constable for the Colony. Between the earliest period of the house, providing insight into the Sparrow
1640 and 1653, he was named Surveyor of family’s quality of life and lifestyle. All of these items were produced in
Highways seven times and sat on over 28 juries. European countries and would have been brought over with the Sparrow
By 1642, Sparrow’s land base grew, adding seven family in their emigration
or more tracts to the original six-acre lot. to the Colonies.
The Sparrow family remained in this house Today, the Richard
until 1653 when they made a move to Eastham Sparrow House is part of
and sold the house to George Bonum that same the Plimoth Patuxet
year. In the deed, it was noted that the house that Village Historic District,
stood on the property was inhabited by Robert and operated as a house
Barrow at the time, George Bonum's son-in-law. museum.

Walker Tavern, ca. 1832, Brooklyn, MI

uilt about 1832 by Calvin Snell, the road in 1853 and moved his tavern and inn-
white clapboard Walker Tavern was keeping business there, naming it S.
Bdesigned as a modest farmhouse in Walker’s Hotel. After her husband's death
the style of Federal architecture. It was a in 1865, Lucy Walker sold both properties
two-story structure framed with hand- to Francis A. Dewey. Three generations of
hewn white oak timbers about eight inches the Dewey family kept the taverns until
square. The original portion of the tavern W.C. Dewey sold both to the Rev.
measures approximately 36’ by 18’, but Frederick Hewitt and his wife Edna in
three major additions were made over the 1922, who converted the tavern buildings
years to the rear of the original structure, into a museum, antiques shop, and restau-
extending its depth. At some point, Snell rant. To draw more traffic, Hewitt embel-
began operating the building as a tavern for lished Walker Tavern's history to include
travelers, as his house overlooked the highly tales of famous visitors and a grisly murder
-trafficked main route for connecting Detroit and Chicago at that time. in an upstairs bedroom.
In about 1838, Sylvester and Lucy Walker, innkeepers in Though it’s never been proven, Hewitt named Henry Ford and early
Cooperstown, New York, purchased the Snell property, renaming it American statesman Daniel Webster were named as guests, and author
Walker Tavern in 1843. During the 1830s “Michigan Fever,” land in the James Fenimore Cooper put up his wife and children there while he
new territory was being sold for $1.25 an acre, and the pioneer trails “roamed the forests for fairy gold to be woven in his romantic tales.” The
turned into two roads, now U.S. 12 and M-50, to accommodate the tale of the “murder room,” says a rich cattleman spent a night at Walker
increasing traffic. Walker Tavern, located at the intersection of these two Tavern. The following morning, the man was missing and only a pool of
new roads, was in a prime blood on the pine floor
position to provide a place marked his passing. The
for stagecoach, wagon, and stain was never removed.
foot travelers to rest, eat, This tale could never be
and stay the night, leading documented either.
to the expansion of the In 1965, the Walker
tavern to also serve as an inn Tavern was sold to the
for guests. Michigan DNR, and now
With business booming visitors can tour the site’s
from westward expansion, three historic buildings
Walker built another three- and experience what life
story brick tavern across the was like in pioneer days.

24 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles