The section of the Commonwealth’s Perpetual Laws regulating taverns and tavern keepers states that the responsibility for their enforcement was the duty of each town’s selectmen. Most towns in the 18th and 19th centuries had taverns. They served as communication centers, post offices, stage stops, places for social gatherings, as well as restaurants, bars, and hotels, serving travelers and local residents.
I. Thomas and E. T. Andrews. The Perpetual Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1801. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/nn-gov-11178-vol-i/. Accessed on October 16, 2024.
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