THE ATKINSON TAVERN (C. 1789)

The Atkinson Tavern once stood at the aptly named Atkinson Hollow in the town of Prescott, Massachusetts. Never heard of Prescott? That may be due to the fact that it no longer exists. Prescott, along with three other Swift River Valley towns, Dana, Enfield, and Greenwich, was claimed by the state to become Quabbin Reservoir. Helen Storrow “rescued” the building in 1928 and brought it to Storrowton Village. Its original owner, Revolutionary War hero, John Atkinson, used it as a store, tavern, and home for his own family.

Dances and town meetings took place on the second floor of the tavern in what was the largest hall in Prescott. The rooms used by the family were separated from the store and taproom by a hallway. The tavern functions as a modern restaurant today, and should you head inside of the building for traditional New England cuisine, take a moment to admire the comfortable fireplaces and beautiful wood paneling. On your way in, take a look at the granite hitching posts, linked with iron chains in front of the Tavern, a reminder of transportation and days gone by.

THE SOUTHWICK BAPTIST MEETING HOUSE (C. 1822)

The Baptist Meeting House was brought to Storrowton Village from neighboring Southwick, Massachusetts in 1930. Like several other structures on the museum grounds, it received many modifications. In this case, these changes were made to represent a New England townhouse, which included moving the tower and the bell from the end of the building to the middle during its reconstruction. In 1957, further alterations were made to join the Baptist Meeting House to the Atkinson Tavern, already operating as Storrowton Tavern. This doubled the size of the restaurant and allowed for more private events and celebrations to be held inside.