“E. Wells” Tavern sign

From the collections of PVMA • Digital image © Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Assoc. • Image use information

About this item

Taverns in the 18th and early 19th centuries provided food and lodging for travelers. These establishments also functioned as gathering places for local men to drink, socialize, and talk politics. This tavern sign swung in front of the tavern of Ephraim Wells (1772-1818) in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The painted images on each side symbolized America to its citizens and the wider world. President George Washington represented American military glory and the rising republic. The Native American on the other side was a traditional symbol of America at home and abroad. The square and compasses on the sign were symbols of the Masons, a fraternal society that flourished in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and which still exists today. Although many of the nation’s founders, including George Washington, were Masons, anti-Masonry erupted in the early 1800s as many Americans began condemning secret societies as undemocratic and subversive.

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Details

Item typePublic Announcements
Sign
Datecirca 1809
PlaceGreenfield, Massachusetts
TopicCommerce, Business, Trade, Consumerism
Social Activities, Entertainment, Recreation
Transportation, Travel, Tourism
EraNational Expansion and Reform, 1816–1860
MaterialWood
Dimension detailsHeight: 57.00 in Width: 30.00 in Height: 5.50 in Width: 26.12 in
Catalog #1878.52.01-.02
View this item in our curatorial database →
E. Wells. ca. 1809. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/1878-52-01-02/. Accessed on December 5, 2024.

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