Exhibition
Eat, Drink, & Start A Revolution! Fairfield’s Taverns
| November 16, 2025 — May 3, 2026 | |
| South Gallery |
During the American Revolution, colonial taverns were more than places to eat and drink—they were vital community hubs, news outlets, recruiting stations, and battle headquarters. Travelers on the King’s Highway–the main route through the colonies–stopped at local taverns like Samuel Penfield’s (known today as Sun Tavern) near the town green. Distinguished visitors to Fairfield included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abigail Adams.
The revolutionary cause wasn’t just discussed in official buildings—it was negotiated and nurtured in taverns. In Fairfield and across the American colonies, people gathered in taprooms to eat, drink, argue, and share the latest news from Boston, New York, and beyond. While colonial taverns were dominated by men and often excluded women and people of color from debates, the outcome of the Revolution would reshape life for everyone in town. Today, the social space of taverns reminds us that democracy has always been messy, noisy, and fueled by everyday people coming together to talk things out.
Through a rich display of historic artifacts and hands-on interactives, Fairfield Museum’s exhibition will explore the rise of revolution in Fairfield and the important role that taverns played in bringing citizens together to forge an independent democratic nation.
Exhibition-Related Events & Programs
November 16, 2025 | 1 – 2:30 pm | 2025 Fall Speaker Series | The Flowing Bowl: A History of Punch
November 23, 2025 | 12 – 4 pm | 2025 Fall Speaker Series | A Taste of the New England Tavern
December 6, 2025 | 10 am – 4 pm | Pop-Up Display at the Fairfield Museum Research Library
Image credit: Detail of Village Tavern, 1813-1814 by John Lewis Krimmel, Courtesy of the Toledo Museum of Art
