The earliest section of what later on became the Elm Tree Inn in Farmington was the 1655 house of William Lewis, an original settler of the town. His son built a new and larger structure, around the old house, and the enlarged building became a tavern and inn. By the mid-eighteenth century, it was operated by Phineas Lewis. Washington dined at the tavern, while on his way to Hartford, in 1780 and again, while on his way to Wethersfield, in 1781. The French general Rochambeau may have also stayed there with his officers when he was passing through Connecticut with his army in 1781. The facade of the building was later updated in the Georgian style and the tavern came to be known as the Elm Tree Inn, after the elm trees on the property, planted in the 1760s. The Inn continued to be popular into the twentieth century as it was a stop on the trolley line to Hartford. Mark Twain frequently dined there while he lived in Hartford, as did the cast and crew filming Way Down East with Lillian Gish in 1919. The exterior of the Inn was once surrounded by a long verandah, which has since been removed. The building is now subdivided into condominiums.
I have a picture of the Elm Tree Inn dating to the 1890s depicting my great-uncle, Louis B. Hubbard & his companions with their high-wheel velocipedes.
I’ve scanned thepictue & can forward it if you can give me a direct e-mail address to which I can send it.
Best regards,
Charles Wetherbee
I an a direct descendant of William Lewis and Phineas Lewis and visited it 40 years ago. I enjoyed reading about it.
Can someone tell me if the Phineas Lewis mentioned in the blog about Elm Tree Inn is the same Phineas Lewis born about 1702/03 that was married to Hannah Lewis Pennell?
Thank you
I worked at the Elm Tree Inn as a young boy in the later 40’s as a dishwasher. Was any one else there that might remember me?
My parents, Charles Neumann Becker, and Helen Sadoski Becker had their wedding reception at the Elm Tree Inn on January 04, 1942, before my father was shipped overseas with the 43rd Army Division.
The author, Thornton Wilder, (Our Town) used to dine there.
i got a letter dated 1938 sendt to a mrs glassford
in sault ste. marie ont. canada hwo was a cousin of the sender i can not read the name of the sender. in the letter was a postcard of the elmtree
in if interested i can copi the letter and send it
please answer with your address
i had the letter for over 40 years it was giving to
me by mrs glassfords datter.
regards verner nielsen
William is my 8th GGF.
William, Ebenezer, Dr. Benjamine, Barnibus, Levi, Orlin, Laura Marie m Haskins, Carlotte Lewis Haskins, m. Warren Lee Wallace, Donald C. Wallace, Sr, Donald C. Wallace Jr.
I live in farmington and I’ve been renovating rooms at the elm tree in over the past 10 years. Just recently I’ve started on the larger section that is on the back of the main building. It was owned by a Mrs Abbot and she was a very nice lady that has since passed. I would love any old photos of the building if anyone has some they can copy and send. Love reading the stories about this beautiful building .
I write articles for a local magazine, and my next one is on the Elm Tree Inn. Are there any common areas I can visit ? A basement? Does anyone know who I can contact on this subject? Thanks
I would love to know more about the Inn,. I too am a descendant of William Lewis. Any other photos or paintings of the inn?
Just moved into the Elm Tree and love learning about this awesome old building. Had no idea before I moved in and now feel so honored and lucky to live here. Love reading these comments, too; I want to know if the guy who worked as a dishwasher in the 40s remembers the other commenter’s parents getting married in 1942! Likely not, but just cool to see how many lives were touched & memories made here.