In 1795, John Cooke purchased property (current address: 143 New Britain Avenue in Plainville) from Luther Shepard of Farmington and constructed a house/tavern (or was it already built in 1789?) for travelers along the Old College Highway. Originally it contained six rooms and a ballroom, but the building was much added to over its years as a tavern. The basement kitchen was later used as a blacksmith’s shop until 1880 and the old forge remains. In 1934, a great-great-grandson of John Cooke reopened the old tavern as a restaurant called Cooke’s Tavern. Today, the tavern is home to a restaurant called J. Timothy’s Taverne.
Cooke’s Tavern (1789)
Wasn’t Cooke’s Tavern once owned by Ray Galvin?
Yes, it was. I worked just one night as a go-fer busboy sometime in the late 60’s. Unfortunately it was New Years Eve! My GF’s mother was a long time waitress there and roped me into helping. All I remember from that night is continually sliding into the kitchen on dropped and discarded arugala salad and other sundry foodstuffs that hadn’t survived the transfer from counter to plate. I remember it to this day, some 45 years later. I persuaded Mr. Galvin to hire me as a wandering minstrel to entertain customers for about a year, instead of a busboy. Tips were great. I once made $100 for a table who wanted me to play “Hava Nagila.” Much better than busing tables.