Antique Col Ebenezer Crafts Publick House Hotel Advertisement Sign 56"

Description

Rare antique salvaged Col. Ebenezer Crafts' Publick House of Sturbridge, Massachusetts, est. 1771 sign. Wood construction handpainted in white with black and white lettering around a blue, green and gold emblem portraying a Revolutionary soldier (presumably Colonel Crafts himself) on a gray horse. Twisted wrought iron hanging brackets and eye hooks still attached. A more recent edition of this sign can be seen outside the Publick House in Sturbridge today.

"A member of Historic Hotels of America since 2018, the Publick House Historic Inn was originally established on the eve of the American Revolution. Colonel Ebenezer Crafts specifically constructed the inn during the late 18th century, who had originally planned to go into the ministry after his time at the Yale Divinity School. Upon the suggestion of his college friend, Joshua Payne, Crafts applied to a parish in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Payne was chosen over him, though, and friendship subsequently splintered. Crafts went back to Pomfret, Connecticut, where he married and began a life in the military as an homage to his father. But following the loss of two children, Crafts' wife, Mehitabel, asked Crafts to leave Pomfret for a new beginning. Payne reached out and offered Crafts the chance to return to Sturbridge as a means of rekindling their friendship. While visiting, Crafts fell in love with a plot of land that flanked the town green. Learning that it belonged to a local resident named Dr. Elisha Marcy, Crafts sought to acquire the parcel for himself. Dr. Marcy nevertheless refused Crafts’ constant overtures to sell the property. Undeterred, Crafts ultimately challenged the doctor to a game of “cards,” with Marcy’s landholdings used for collateral.

The colonel managed to win the bet and immediately moved his family north to Sturbridge. With help provided by Payne and his parishioners, Crafts began to construct a massive home on the lot. But Crafts’ designed his new residence to serve as more than just a home. On the contrary, Crafts had actually converted a portion of the structure to function as roadside inn. His new building stood two stories in height and was set atop a foundation based on a central hallway. The building’s ground floor featured several public rooms and a large kitchen, while 13 guestrooms resided upstairs for overnight guests. Some of the rooms on the first floor provided specific services to Crafts’ guests, too. There was a general store in what is now the Pumpkin Room; a men’s smoking room (now the Card Room) for daily gatherings, news sharing, and gossip; and a Ladies Parlor connected right next door. The kitchen, which is now the Tap Room, held a huge fireplace for cooking large batches of food in what is now a hearth. The Tap Room—currently the Pineapple Room—held large barrels of rum, from which the robust Crafts would lift and drink from directly.

When Crafts finally debuted his wonderful new inn during the 1770s, he decided to call it “Crafts Tavern.” But Crafts also referred to the structure as the “Publick House” in recognition of the inn’s mission to service the people of Sturbridge. The inn nonetheless saw its business decline after a depression struck the young United States in the wake of the American Revolutionary War. Due to the financial constraints, Crafts was forced to sell his beloved inn and moved to Vermont, where he founded the town of Craftsbury. Now known only as the “Publick House,” the inn survived the depression to reemerged as a popular landmark in downtown Sturbridge. In fact, the building hosted both the Marquis de Lafayette and his son, Georges Washington de Lafayette, when the two famously toured the nation during the 1820s. But the proliferation of the railroads throughout Massachusetts some three decades later eventually spelt doom for the Publick House, as they diverted the inn’s steady stream of clients to town’s located elsewhere.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the Publick House was unfortunately a shadow of its former self. The inn was even transformed into a boarding house for women called “The Elms” for a brief time, although it nearly closed down due to its dilapidated state. Fortunately, salvation arrived in the form of Richard Paige, who bought the entire complex for a single dollar amid a card game. Working alongside architect James A. Britten, Paige carefully restored the building back to its roots, which thus gave it a completely new lease on life. Thanks to his innovation and respect for history the Publick House Historic Inn has never closed its doors since. As such, this fantastic historic hotel has continued to offer unmatched hospitality and affordable accommodations to guests well into the present." (Source: Historic Hotels of America)

Condition

Good Overall - Cracking / chipping / splitting / discoloration to paint

Dimensions

32.25" x 1.5" x 55.75" (Width x Depth x Height)