Framingham Taverns: Hospitality and Revolution

In a town of just over 1,300 residents, Framingham boasted 6 taverns in the 1770s.  By the end of the 19th century almost every neighborhood had some semblance of a tavern to gather for a pint or to discuss the latest news. 

In this two part series, Framingham historian Kevin Swope will introduce us to the owners and locations of 26 Framingham taverns from 1700 to just after the Civil War.  Why were there so many taverns in such a small town?  What other purposes did these sites serve besides serving beer, cider and hard liquor?  How do these compare to today with craft breweries that have put Framingham on the map? Yankee Brew News staff writer and certified beer judge Brett Peruzzi of Framingham will join Kevin and track the impact of the industrial revolution on brewing, the legalization of home brewing in the 1970s and today’s microbreweries. 

While this program will not include beer tastings as previously designed, we encourage you to pick up your favorite local brew and enjoy it while participating from the comfort of your own home.