Last year I began to delve into a bit of Canadian history and the Rebellion of 1837, which I wrote about here.
In my research about the Rebellion, I had read of an account where the leaders of the Rebellion had gathered at a local tavern called Montgomery’s where they plotted their civil disobedience over several glasses of brew. It appears that shenanigans will always be hatched over a few drinks.
I later discovered that the Montgomery Inn still existed and was now operated as a local Historical Museum. Of course I put it on my list of must-visit places in the city and yesterday I made that trip with a good friend.
We had a wonderful tour of this historic building, but to my surprise, I discovered I was there for entirely the wrong reason.
Who would have guessed that on the wild shores of Lake Ontario in 1837, there would be two Montgomerys, each with a public establishment, but with vastly different political leanings?
The owner of the Montgomery Tavern was a Scotsman and Rebel sympathizer, while the owner of the Montgomery Inn, was an Irishman and staunch Loyalist to the Crown. Not only were they unrelated, they were on completely opposite sides of the Rebellion of 1837.
That little tidbit was uncovered at the beginning of our tour, and it just got better from there.
Our guide did a brilliant job of bringing the history of the Inn alive, as well as detailing life in the mid-1800s.
Montgomery’s Inn was only one in a string of inns along this major transportation route in the mid-1800s and became an important meeting place for the nearby community of Islington.
I learned that it was common practice at the time for the wife of the Inn owner to be the person who actually ran the operation, while the husband tended other aspects of the business, like the surrounding farmland.
If the wife died, the husband either remarried and the new wife took over the job of running the Inn, or the Inn ceased to operate. The latter is what happened when Margaret Montgomery died before her husband in 1855. The Inn was subsequently leased as a residence to tenant farmers until the mid-1940s.
There is a farmer’s market held on the grounds every Wednesday all year round. In the winter, the market is moved indoors. I was able to buy bread, freshly baked and still warm, from the outdoor wood oven. It was a popular item and snatched up quickly by the local shoppers.
The museum recently started a new program. On the last Thursday of every month, a liquor license for the bar is obtained and hot stew, cooked over the fire in the ancient kitchen, is served.
I love how this Inn has continued to make itself a relevant part of the community in which it belongs. I have a feeling there will be a return trip to Montgomery’s Inn in my future.
If you have a small historical museum in your area, I recommend that you pay them a visit. During the height of tourist season, these places are often overlooked as destinations in favour of larger venues. If you can get a tour, do it. Chances are, you will be fascinated with the tidbits of history you will learn. I know I was.
…. now I have to go and plan a visit to the site of the former Montgomery’s Tavern.
Thursday Doors is a weekly photo feature hosted by Norm Frampton at Norm 2.0.
Joanne, I am a bad blogger buddy…I missed your last two posts! I know I’ve been busy this month, but still, no excuse!
I loved the doors of this post and the history you gave of the tavern and the inn, and their owners’ opposing views. I think the storage area door is my favorite. What do you think they kept back there?
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Oh Mary, I know what you mean. This past month has been a blur of activity for me – busy doing summer things and loving every minute of it.
The problem is that I’ve been off-the-grid for days and now hopelessly behind with over 400 posts sitting in my mailbox.
I can’t allow myself to feel guilty though. It’s summer and for those of us in the north, we have to squeeze every minute out of it while we can!!
I’m guessing that storage area was used to store bar things – like kegs of beer/wine – although it never occurred to me to ask! Talk about being a bad blogger 😉
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I probably have 400 emails in my in-box every three days. I can’t possibly keep up, so I try to scroll through them to make sure I don’t miss important posts (but I do) and then I delete the rest. It’s all I can do these days because I don’t have hours and hours to sit in front of the computer. And I’m also a northern girl who needs to enjoy summer while it’s still here.
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Exactly! We need to absorb as much Vit D as possible during these short months of summer!
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What an interesting history! And fresh bread sounds fabulous!
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It was! It’s too bad the Inn is on the other side of the city and rather awkward to get to. It’s a long way to go for a weekly loaf of bread 😉
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What a great place. I would go there on Thursdays when they have their liquor license and also on Wednesdays to pick up some bread.
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If I lived close by, that’s exactly what I’d do too 🙂
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Love the picture journey of Inns and Taverns.
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Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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I did. So interesting
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Darn the luck. Another tavern to visit in the name of research. Ugh!
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It’s a tough job ….
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So cool to find out about Montgomery Tavern and the Montgomery Inn with their past connections. I am so glad you also included tidbits and personal anecdotes attributed to the Inn, especially. I liked the first door with the stonework so unique and almost looks like piled together with big layers of spackling with their spots left on the rocks. Women are the ones standing behind so many good stories, I feel.
The outdoor bread oven still in working condition was really a great addition and how lucky for you to have still warm from that oven bread to purchase!
I hope someday you will go on a Thursday and try the stew, posting for us to drrol and salivate over what I imagine a very good recipe!
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That bread had a pretty short lifespan. Funny how that works with good bread 😉
It’s too bad that this place is on the other end of the city or I would frequent its market regularly.
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I agree, sometimes it would be nice if special places could be quickly traversed to, if only those savvy cartoonists from “The Jetsons” would have created Real briefcases which transformed into individual flying spaceships! 😂
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Great plans are made over a drink or two. Three or more drinks and plans are forgotten, everyone goes to sleep, and then they wake up the next morning wondering what all the fuss was about.
Great history and beautiful doors!
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The biggest adventures I’ve ever committed myself to were made over a couple of drinks.
… you’d think I’d know better by now 😉
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LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that kitchen door with the 16 glass panes. What a great day trip!
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Me too!! Isn’t it amazing?! Ahhh, but to have an old country home with wonderful wood features and awesome doors like this {sigh}
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Our next lives….
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I love this Inn!!! Great history , especially with the names and opposing politics. I could live in this Inn.
Btw, I thought of you often last week as I walked my way around southern France…I could have spent a month taking pictures of the various doors and ironwork from gates and balconies.
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Oh my goodness, yes!! Southern France would have been a door lover’s dream!! I hope you had a wonderful vacation.
Wait, that was dumb. You were in France … of course it was wonderful 🙂
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😀 of course!
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This was really interesting Joanne, great detective work and a good story from days gone by.
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Glad you enjoyed it. At first I was terribly disappointed to discover I was in the wrong Montgomery’s, but the tour more than made up for it!
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Oh you really are turning into a detective! That is a fascinating tidbit about the two Monthomerys!
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It was actually the tour guide who corrected me in my assumption. He said it was a common error made even by people in the profession … or perhaps he was just being kind 🙂
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You’re a pretty great tour guide too! What a lovely tour, and interesting history. The door behind the bar was really pretty with the blond wood.
“Moms and wives hold everything together” That’s true at my house. I can’t leave for two days without it falling apart. I’ve always said to He-Man if I go first he’ll have to remarry b/c he doesn’t know how to keep or run the house. Of course he’s been busy making a living for us…pretty much like those old timers. “)
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Sometimes it annoys me to be the glue that holds everything together. I think it would be nice to relinquish that responsibility once in a while
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🙂
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Montgomery’s Inn is very close to where I live and I’ve been there for a few events over the years as you can rent space for your organization/clubs to use. I did know about the Farmer’s Market but didn’t know about the stew – I’ll have to let some friends know!
A few years ago I took a walk run by the Toronto Historical Society that covered off a lot of the events and locations that related to the 1837 Rebellion and it was very interesting – you might like to look into it. Also – have you visited McKenzie House – if not, add it to your list – it’s also very interesting and details a lot of the rebellion’s events.
I’m hoping to do a tour at Queen’s Park next week – haven’t been since I was a kid – I too am trying to be a tourist in my own home town this summer and it’s a lot of fun.
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Yes, I will have to add McKenzie House to my list. It did come up in discussion as well as Spadina House.
Enjoy your tour at Queen’s Park. I did it last summer and was fascinated. I had never been there before. I wanted to go back while they were in session, but I never made it. Oh well, there’s always this winter 🙂
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What a fascinating place. And history. I need to put this on my bucket list. Thank you.
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I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did 🙂
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An Irishman staunchly loyal to the Crown – now there’s a twist! Yes, sometimes fascinating places are right down the hill!
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That was my reaction as well. I actually had to double-check it to make sure I didn’t get it backwards.
… although a Scotsman staunchly loyal to the Crown might also be suspect 😉
My favourite part of learning history is discovering these interesting little stories. It’s much more interesting than “dates and places”.
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I was thinking the same thing!
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You give the greatest history lessons! Great photos and ‘real life’ stories here. Interesting how life can only go on for these taverns and Inns if there’s a wife!
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I know! Just another example of women as the unsung heroes!!
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WAY too many unsung woman. But you (and others) are doing the singing now, and I’m so glad.
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❤
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It usually happens that you are more inclined to visit museums in “other” places, rather than what is right in your town. I appreciate the many tours of Toronto – and I think it is wonderful that you are exploring your city so thoroughly.
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The idea to start playing tourist in my own city started when we were on vacation in Oslo 2 years ago.
It occurred to me that we’ve traveled extensively around the world visiting sites far and wide, while at the same time others were traveling to Toronto to do the same. I’ve lived here for over 35 years, yet I was embarrassed by how little I actually knew about it. We tend to neglect what’s in our own backyard and I set out to know my city better.
Better late than never!!
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Alcohol and a little rebellion, gee what could go wrong with that? 😀
Loved the old wooden doors in this place, especially the one to the storage area behind the bar.
And warm, fresh-baked bread too – bonus!
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Which makes me wonder exactly how many pivotal events in history were ignited with alcohol? I’m willing to bet the number is close to 100% 🙂
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I love the idea of shenanigans being hatched over a few drinks – I guess some things never change! 🙂
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Exactly! … but I can’t help wonder if the rebellion would have been more successful if alcohol hadn’t been involved in the beginning. Perhaps some extra planning and sober thought might have helped 😉
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Always good when a plan works out well, even if it was not quite what you had expected. I like visiting small museums – less crowds and often more interesting exhibits, though I recall the museum in my home town was very boring with dusty relics. Places have to be interesting and diverse these days to entice visitors.
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I’m discovering that the right tour guide can make a lump of dirt interesting … and this guy was GOOD!
I’ve never been much of a museum person … they tend to make my eyes glaze over in the first 5 minutes. Perhaps the key all along was to seek out the small ones.
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I keep wanting to check out some of the historic sites here but haven’t yet.I’m very near Oregon City which was the end of the Oregon Trail so there are a lot of small museums to check out. You’ve encouraged me to do it.
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I’m willing to bet you will find out all kinds of interesting things! Do it!!
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Ha!!! It’s true! Many, many plans are hatched over a serving of libations. Some great plans …. some not so great plans. These are some pretty fabulous doors!! And the history which accompanies them.
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I’m starting to think that alcohol is one of those unsung *heroes* of history … especially where failures were involved.
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You maybe on to something…. alcohol + ego
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This could be the basis for a very interesting doctoral thesis 😉
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That is so cool, Joanne. Not only the tour, but the baked bread, the market, and the stew cooked over the fire. What a fun way for the place to stay vibrant and active in the community. Interesting history and coincidences too!
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I thought it was really cool too, Diana. I think museums – especially the small ones – struggle to find their space. This one has clearly found its role in the community.
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We have a little museum in town that needs to find its niche. Great ideas here. 🙂
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Love the Mission style door. leading to the supply room. Right now delving into the American history (because that is where I live right now) would be depressing – to see how far it has strayed from its original intents and purposes.
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Sadly, I agree with you. The US seems to have lost its way.
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Beautiful doors and an interesting double-history! I love the door behind the bar with the slats. But, if I had to choose, I’d take the door to the outdoor oven, at least if I was in time to get a loaf of bread. Thanks for the tour, Joanne. This was a pretty cool story.
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… and I can vouch for how good the bread tasted 🙂
This was one of the those ‘sleeper’ visits where expectations were low when we started out, but the reality was soooo much better.
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The other Montgomery isn’t nearly as interesting. It’s just north of Yonge and Bloor…. At Yonge and Montgomery. There was an old post office there but now it is the site of a condo development. Not long ago there was a plaque there but i’m not sure if the construction obscures it or not.
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After my visit to the Inn, I read up on the Tavern and confirmed it has been long gone.
I had read that the old post office had been incorporated into the Montgomery condos. If there was a plaque, I hope they preserve it properly.
Thanks for the heads-up about it being just north of Yonge and Bloor. For some reason, I thought it was at Yonge and Eglinton. I’d be looking for a while 😉
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I love this post, Joanne…fascinating…and love that 16-paned door…yes, I counted. 🙂
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ohhh – interesting. I knew the door seemed unusually large, but it didn’t occur to me to count the panels!
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Wonderful piece of history and handsome, sturdy doors. I LOVE the sign in the first photo. Very unique. 🙂
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I’m assuming that sign is a replica because the original sign is hanging inside over the staircase. My reaction was the same as your’s – very different.
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Hmmm… the wife dies and the inn closes… why am o not surprised?
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Exactly. Without the woman of the house, everything goes to hell.
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I’ll take farm work to inn-tending, any day, but my wife would probably prefer inn-tending. So I think we would have fit in, back in the mid-1800s.
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Given a choice, I’d rather have been royalty …. preferably not in France 😉
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What an interesting building and a great story. I wouldn’t mind trying the stew -especially since they have a liquor license. 🙂
I am a little bit worried. I haven’t gotten an email notification of your new post from WordPress, even though I am supposed to. It drives me crazy when they do that.
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I’m almost afraid to say it for fear of cursing myself … {whispering} but I don’t get these problems in WP that other people complain about.
I hope I show up in your mailbox soon!!
I’m thinking that some cold evening in winter I will have to return for a glass of red and a bowl of stew … hopefully with a thick warm slice of fresh bread to go with it 🙂
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I never had a problem with WP that’s the first time I noticed it.
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I hope it’s just a one-time glitch.
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This has to be my favorite bit of his-door-ical research in many weeks. What fun and hot, fresh bread besides!! I do love carbs, despite the anti-carb trend these days. Thanks for the reminder to look for little, local museums. We have a few around here that I need to explore.
janet
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I run hot and cold with carbs. There’s no question that I feel so much better when I don’t eat them, but it’s comfort food!
Because of this visit, I’ve developed a whole new respect for small local museums. I’m going to have to visit more of them.
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I think some of it may be the the type of carbs most people eat: white flour with lots of added sugar and other things. People in Europe eat a reasonable amount of carbs in the form of pasta and bread, but it doesn’t seem to be a big deal there. Of course, not everything there is whole grain, but there seems to be much less added sugar and unnatural ingredients.
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You had me at museum, but you REALLY had me at warm bread. I’m such a slave to carbs.
That’s so quirky – that two Montgomery clans on opposites sides of the issue.
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I’m the complete opposite to you on this one, Maggie – well, except for the carbs. mmmmm carbs!!
Museums normally bore me to tears, perhaps that’s why this one was so refreshingly different. Our tour guide truly was brilliant. I could have listened to him tell stories of the period for hours.
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Well, I have learned something today. I didn’t know of the existence of this museum even if I lived in Toronto for 25 years…the things you missed when you live in a city. Thanks for the visit and the story. (Suzanne)
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Suzanne, I am not a museum person but now I need to rethink all the great little museums in the city. If Montgomery’s Inn is any indication, all the others deserve a visit too!
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You are totally right that some of these small museums are very interesting. For one, they are small and don’t take hours to visit but they are often very informative. I remember visiting Fort York on a day where there were animations and it was great seeing the ladies dressed in costumes baking breads, pies and cookies the old ways…
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I have never been to Fort York. We were talking about it this week and I must correct that omission!
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It is well worth a visit. It is very nicely done…
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Isn’t the woodworking just beautiful?! Oh, warm bread….yes, please.
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I loved all the old wood. It’s funny that in my youth I looked down my nose at anything old. Now I feel the exact opposite.
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wonderful history – and great photos Joanne- thanks!
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Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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Colonial taverns are a fave ~ going to college in Williamsburg meant being able to walk to Chownings, Kings Arms, Christianna Campbells, or Raleigh’s Tavern to sup and dine.
Thanks for the tour!
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That is something I wish I had access to … a local pub or tavern. Sadly, there are none in my area. It’s just not the same when you have to drive some distance to get to one.
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Up the street, practically, from me!! We first went there last year and enjoyed it too.
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Isn’t it fascinating to discover these little treasures?!
Now on some cold winter Thursday night at the end of the month, you will think of Montgomery’s Inn as place for a brew, hot meal, and a bit of community 🙂
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I always love the tours that you take us on, Joanne, and this one was brilliant. The warm, freshly baked bread was the icing on the cake!
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Mmmmm! It is sooo good. I just had some for breakfast … a spelt sourdough. Yum!! 🙂
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Pretty. Love the shelving with all the dishes. All the doors are so old and warm. But I think the best part is how they’re still contributing in a relevant way. I will have the stew, and some bread, and something from a brown bottle, thank you. I eagerly await the story of the other 🙂
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That was my reaction too, Joey.
I now have a deep appreciation for the work of the curator – the research and attention to small details to bring a time period back alive.
It is so appropriate that a place which held a significant role in its community, should, as a museum, now go back to its roots as a meeting place in its community.
Love, love, love it!
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Great images and post Joanne 🙂
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Thanks Joe. From you, I always consider that a fine compliment 🙂
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Loved the history of these places…and the doors – dreamy!
I was most fascinated by how the inn or tavern would cease to operate if the wife died.
Do you think that’s similar to what happens when the mom leaves home for a couple of days?
I always love your stuff, Joanne. Thank you for sharing!! xo
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LOL!!!! So true! Wives and moms seem to be the glue that holds everything together!!
I was most fascinated by that little tidbit too!
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