Now, some of
the most influential men in the colonies
gathered in Philadelphia to decide a common
response to this and other "intolerable
acts." For the next decade, City Tavern
would be a familiar sight to the leading
figures of the American Revolution.
The Tavern was built "for
the convenience and credit of the city"
by a group of eminent Philadelphians who
felt that their hometown deserved a fine
tavern which reflected its status as the
largest, most cosmopolitan city in British
North America. When the Tavern was completed
in 1773, it was one of the most elegant
buildings in the city. Situated on Second
Street, a main thoroughfare, City Tavern
was constructed in the latest architectural
style and stood three stories high. Inside,
it "boasted" of several large
club rooms, two of which thrown into one
make a spacious room of nearly fifty feet
in length, for public entertainment. There
were "several commodious lodging rooms,
for the accommodation of strangers, two
large kitchens, and every other convenience
for the purpose." In addition, there
was a Bar and also a Coffee Room, which
was supplied with British and American newspapers
and magazines.
The new Tavern immediately
became a social and economic center for
the city. The clubrooms hosted various benevolent
and social organizations, including the
St. George's Society, the Friendly Sons
of St. Patrick and the Jockey Club. The
elegant Long Room was the setting for gala
entertainment and balls. Downstairs, in
the Bar and the Coffee Room, important business
affairs were conducted by principal merchants
of the city.
In 1774, as the breech with
great Britain widened, politics were the
dominant topic of conversation at City Tavern.
In May, leading citizens held a meeting
in the Long Room to shape Pennsylvania's
response to the "intolerable acts."
Three months later, as the delegates to
the First Continental Congress began to
arrive in Philadelphia, the Tavern was thrust
center stage in the dispute with England.
From that time until the
close of the century, City Tavern knew the
patronage of the great and near-great of
the American Revolution. It became the practice
of the members of the Second Continental
Congress to dine together each Saturday
at the Tavern. Eight of the delegates, Randolph,
Lee, Washington, Harrison of Virginia, Alsop
of New York, Chase of Maryland, and Rodney
and Read of Delaware chose to form a "table"
and dine there daily. No doubt, matters
of momentous importance were discussed and
decided over a glass of Madeira and steaming
roast of venison.
The war years brought change
and turmoil to City Tavern. There was grand
entertainment, such as the Continental Congress's
first Fourth of July celebration in 1777,
but there were also melancholy events, including
the funeral of General Hugh Mercer of Virginia.
Daniel Smith, the first manager of the Tavern,
and host to the Continental Congress showed
himself to be a Loyalist when the British
Army captured Philadelphia in the Fall of
1777. When his protectors left in June of
1778, "little Smith" as he was
known, went with them. Fortunately, a new
manager, Gifford Dalley, was found in time
to host a gala Independence Day celebration
to mark the city's liberation. After the
war, the Tavern settled into a more sedate
existence that was not interrupted until
the opening of the Constitutional Convention
in 1787. Once again, these leaders enjoyed
the hospitality of the City Tavern. It was
fitting that after the adjournment of the
convention in September, delegates gathered
for one final dinner at the City Tavern.
In the 1790's, City Tavern
began to lose its place of prominence to
newly constructed "hotels." For
the next half century, it underwent a number
of changes, serving primarily as a merchant's
exchange until 1834. In 1854 it was demolished
to make way for new brownstone stores. A
newspaper of the time noted the passing
of the Tavern, and remarked that in a generation
or two, "City Tavern will not be remembered
except by some curious delver into the past."
