True Tales from Canton’s Past: Vose Tavern

By George T. Comeau

The tavern itself changed hands just a few times in its history. In 1773, John Billings, a captain in the Revolutionary War and the custodian of ammunition for the town, bought the Vose Tavern property. At some point the building became the home of Alfred Draper and ultimately became part of the Draper Mill complex, where it was used as worker housing.

Museum-quality Georgian interiors hid behind this simple facade as a private residence in the 1920s. (Canton Historical Society)

By 1988, the Vose-Mawdsley Tavern was threatened with demolition. The Draper Company no longer had any use for the building, and along with two other buildings adjacent to the tavern they became slated to be razed. Turning to John Cole, a noted antique building expert, the Draper Bros. Corporation requested an in-depth historical evaluation of the building. Cole’s final report stated that he “believes this structure falls in that top ten percentile category of existing historical buildings.” Continuing, Cole wrote that “the degree of original framing, masonry, and wooden Georgian detail place this structure at a high level of excellence.” Comparing the Vose-Mawdsley Tavern, he placed its value alongside the 1715 Josiah Keith House in South Easton and the 1756 Elmer Keith brick gambrel in Wallingford, CT.

After more than 250 years, what would be left inside this house that once served as a historic tavern? Cole’s report contains stunning details: “twelve rooms resting on a stone foundation … a floor plan that is quite rare in its containment of four fireplaces around the chimney with cupboards above (likely an indication of tavern usage) … it is a handsome finely crafted frame of mid 18th century in its own right … the triumph of the early interior is its extent of paneled and sheathed detail …” The report concludes that there is a “wealth of untouched interior of 18th century trim and rare four-fireplace floor plan.” The analysis revealed a hidden room in this “rare, unique and high quality” building. Cole urged that the building somehow be used as an architectural study house or as a museum, with the prestige inherent as a complementary use by the Draper Bros.

Preservation was not to be, however, and plans moved forward to remove the structure. In fact, the loss of this building produced Canton’s surge toward the demolition delay bylaw and in some way heralded a new era for preservation efforts in Canton. People asked whether there was any way this building could be saved.

By October 1990, the tavern began to be dismantled. Local urging for the preservation failed, and piece by piece it was taken down and sent for storage in an unknown neighboring town. By 1991, the story had ended and the lot was totally cleared. What most people in Canton did not know was that the precious historic building was getting a new life again at the hands of people with means.

In 2008, Wally Gibbs, the chairman of the Canton Historical Commission, urged Arthur Krim, the town’s historic building survey consultant, to discover whether or not the Vose Tavern had ever been reconstructed. Gibbs said the rumor was that the Vose Tavern could be found in Lincoln. Krim drove to the Lincoln Public Library and inquired with the reference staff. “At first they thought I was looking for the Pillar House from Newton,” Krim said, “but soon we were on the right track and they pointed me towards an address leading towards Route 2.”

With an address in hand, Krim drove to the property and ventured as close as he dared without trespassing. “The setting was quite elaborate,” he said, “terraced gardens, elegant walled chicken coops, and a house totally fabricated from the Vose Tavern.” This is only the second time Krim has ever been asked to track down a reconstructed historic structure moved out of a town; the first time, surprisingly, it was again Gibbs having Krim document Canton’s Fenno House at Sturbridge Village.

The Vose Tavern reconstructed in Lincoln, Mass. (Photo by Arthur Krim, courtesy of the Canton Historical Commission)

Today, Canton’s historic Vose Tavern sits on 3.56 acres of land on Page Road in Lincoln. The setting is idyllic and a world apart from Draper Lane. Owned by a wealthy investment advisor, the tavern was rebuilt as part of a new 4,500-square-foot, single-family home. Valued at more than $1.7 million, the home is, in a word, “stunning.” Of course, we always knew it was stunning; we just didn’t have the means.

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