Weatherwax Tavern

Description:	Drawing of the Weatherwax Tavern by Juliet A. Peddle, Terre Haute Artist and Architect. THE WEATHERWAX TAVERN WHICH STANDS ON HIGHWAY 40 NEAR THE ILLINOIS STATE LINE.The house which was once the Weatherwax Tavern stands on the north side of highway U. S. 40 about one and one-half miles this side of the Illinois state line.Tradition says the house was built by David Weatherwax in the late forties or early fifties. The deed records show that he purchased the property from Mr. John Crews and Alexander McBath. The last purchase being made in 1847. If he built not long after this date, it would bear out the tradition of the time of construction. Mr. Weatherwax operated a tavern here for a number of years. It was located far enough from Terre Haute to be well situated for travelers journeying by the slow modes of travel in those days. Many tales have come down about this tavern and spooky things that happened there, but the Glicks, who lived there following the Weatherwax family, say they know much of this is embroidery and suspect the rest is too, as all of their contacts with the Weatherwax family and the house tend to disprove the tales.In 1859 David Weatherwax sold the house to Abraham Glick and went to Kansas to live. Mr. Glick owned it from that time until his death in 1900.Abraham Glick was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1825. From 1849 to 1857 we find him a general merchant in Terre Haute. After he purchased the farm in 1859, he turned his attention to agriculture and developed a fine prosperous farm. One of his granddaughters, Mrs. Noble Johnson, who spent part of her childhood here has been able to tell me something of the house from her own knowledge and from what her elders have told her.My illustration is based on the picture in the Atlas of 1874, as being the earliest authentic information available. The front of the house has been very little changed since then until within the last month or so when the front porch was removed. The shed at the back has been gone for a good many years.They say Mr. Weatherwax had his own mill and took pains to cut his lumber at the right phase of the moon to prevent the woodworms working in it. The laths were all rived from oak timber by hand. There were five large fireplaces, one upstairs, three on the first floor, and a very large one in the north cellar provided with cranes for cooking. Here were made quantities of lard, apple butter, soap, maple sugar, etc. A dark room back of the fireplace held the winter supply of vegetables and a third room contained the canned food and milk and butter.The house had originally a large double porch with center doors onto it both upstairs and down. Mr. Glick removed this porch and replaced it with the one which has been there until very recently. The gardens were full of all the varieties of flowers grown in that day, and they also raised all sorts of fruit and vegetables. The early illustration shows everything fenced in and very orderly. After Mr. Glicks death the house passed through several hands and came into the possession of its present owner, Mr. John F. Robinson, in 1920.The changes are not so extensive but what one traveling the highway at twilight might imagine it was the old tavern and stop and ask for a nights lodging.
Origin:	01/01/2005
Contributor(s):	Peddle, Juliet, 1899-1979
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/rose/id/841
Collection:	Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Logan Library
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/
Copyright:	Copyright Undetermined
Subjects:	Architectural drawings Architecture Houses Taverns (Inns) Weatherwax, David Architecture Domestic Life

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