America's oldest tavern was originally constructed before 1673 as the two-room, two story residence of Francis Brinley. In that year William Mayes, Sr. bought the massively-framed building and a quarter acre of land "...fenced with Pailes" at the corner of Farewell and Marlborough streets.

History

Originally constructed in 1652 as the two story residence of Francis Brinley, “the massively framed building and quarter acre of land fenced with Pailes at the corner of Farewell and Marlborough Streets” was acquired by William Mayes, Sr. in 1673 and he converted it to a tavern.

For the next one hundred years, before the Colony House was constructed, this large and comfortable tavern was the meeting place of the Colony’s General Assembly, Criminal Court and City Council. In 1702 William Mayes, Jr. succeeded his father as innkeeper and was granted a license to sell “…all sorts of Strong Drink.” William was a notorious pirate, who had just returned to Newport with his bounty. Openly welcomed and protected by the townspeople, Mr. Mayes caused much embarrassment to officials of the British Colony. Mary Mayes Nichols, William’s sister, and her husband, Robert, shortly followed as innkeepers.

In 1708 the Tavern became “birthplace of the businessman’s lunch” as city councilors dined here and charged their meals to the public treasury.

Jonathan Nichols became tavern keeper in 1730 and gave the tavern its present name. Walter Nichols, the proprietor in 1776, moved his family out of the tavern and Newport rather than live with the Hessian mercenaries billeted there by the British. When he returned after the war he added the gambrel roof and re-opened an enlarged White Horse Tavern.

In November of 1895 the Nichols family sold to Thomas and Bridget Preece and the building became a rooming house. By 1954 the structure showed years of use and neglect. Through the generosity of the Van Beuren family the property was acquired by The Preservation Society of Newport County and meticulously restored. It re-opened as The White Horse Tavern in 1957.

O.L. Pitts of Fort Worth, Texas, along with three partners, purchased the White Horse Tavern in 1981. Infamous participants in the revelry of the America’s Cup races, they continued the tradition of good fellowship, good food and good cheer. On his ninetieth birthday, O.L. Pitts turned stewardship of the Tavern over to Paul Hogan, a Newport native and only the sixth owner in three hundred and fifty years. No building is believed more typical of colonial Newport than the White Horse Tavern, with its clapboard walls, gambrel roof and plain pediment doors bordering the sidewalk. Inside, “its’ giant beams, small stairway hard against chimney, tiny front hall and cavernous fireplaces are the very essence of 17th Century American architecture.”

The Tradition Continues…Enjoy!