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Bars where Pete has had a drink

Thursday, October 03, 2024

#5877 - Old Tavern Inn, Niles, MI - 9/6/2024

Old Tavern Inn, Niles, MI 

Founded in 1836, the Old Tavern Inn has been recognized by the State of Michigan as being the oldest business in Michigan still operating in its original building. It is not clear to me on what basis it rules out the New Hudson Inn (which claims to have been founded in 1831), nor is it clear to me exactly when it changed its name to "Old Tavern Inn" after operating for many decades as the Sumnerville Tavern. Nevertheless, its own claim to its purported history is unusually strong, as documented by a loose bound book in the establishment itself, full of photos and a brilliantly researched list of owners and transactions over the years.

The book, was assembled by Barbara Cook and her husband Grafton "Grif" Cook, and its a gold mine to people like me who are curious about the history of the place, which locals refer to as "OTI's." As per their book:

"The Sumnerville Tavern is one of the most historic and insteresting buildings in Cass County and was apparently the first building constructed in the newly formed village [Sumnerville, platted in 1836]. For over twenty years it was located on the stage coach route connecting Kalamazoo and Niles."

Ida and Fred Freeman, who ran the business from the mid 1920s to mid 40s, re-oriented and expanded the building, adding a pool table and gas pumps out front of the tavern. But with vehicles (including a hearse carrying a body) failing to negotiate the 90 degree turn and crashing into the pumps, the Freemans eventually built a new concrete basement and foundation, and turned the building itself 90 degrees. "The building which for 80 years faced west was turned to face south. What had been the side of the building, facing north, now faced, as it still does the Indian Lake road. A large porch over the new front was built as well as tow large windows on each side of the new entrance."

The tavern, family restaurant, and former grocery and gas station had changed names to the Old Tavern Inn by the mid 1970s, and it remains plainly a popular place -- quite packed with local families on the Friday afternoon I stopped by, as efficient and friendly servers whizzed to and fro. It is known particularly for its ham sandwich, which unfortunately I was not in a position to sample on this day.

But at least I am glad that they no longer greet first time visitors in quite they way they are said to have done when founder Peabody Cook still owned the joint. The Cooks quote Abner Moon, a newspaperman from nearby Dowagiac, with the following account:

"It was said of Cook's regime that it was a pastime with its sitters about the place to 'initiate' those who came to the house. The candidate would be surrounded and taken down upon the floor where he was held pinioned by wlling hands whilst whiskey was rubbed on his head and then a hot brick was applied while the candidate struggled and yelled 'Ouch!' when the hot brick was applied and the house rang with the laughter and glee of the merry roysters."






 
Old Tavern Inn / Sumnerville Tavern - List of owners from book and history assembled by Grafton and Barbara Cook

  • Sumnerville platted in 1836 by Issac [?] and Junius Hopkins Hatch.
  • Sumnerville Tavern appears to be the first building constructed in the new village.
  • Peabody Cook erected the log tavern in 1836.
  • Cook sold the tavern to Curtis Mosher in 1838.
  • Mosher sold the tavern to Cook's son-in-law Jacob Sammons in January 1840, when he became a minister helping to lead the "Great Revival of Sumnerville" in that year.
  • Sammons sells it to Richard and Eliza Brown in August 1844.
  • Brown sells it to Burrowes Moore and Emmor Millard in 1849.
  • Moore, who also owned the local sawmill and grist mill, completely rebuilt and expanded the tavern, atop the foundation of the original, with the original beams still lay above the current false ceiling. The structure known today was probably completed 1849-50.
  • Free Will Baptist Reverend James Ashley purchased the tavern from Moore in June 1865, and subsequently discouraged sales of spirits at the tavern.
  • In 1869 Ashley sold the tavern to John S. Gallup, who then gave his 3rd wife Phebe Ann Kent Gallup the deed to the property just 5 weeks prior to his death of tuberculosis March 3, 1882.
  • In March 1883 Phebe re-married Rev John Byrnes and sold the tavern to Andrew Kibler and his wife Mary.
  • Mary Kibler operated the tavern 8 years after the death of her husband in February 1908.
  • Lester Willis purchased the tavern from ailing widow Kibler in 1916, at a time when there was no operating business in the old tavern, remodeled it and recommenced the business.
  • In November 1916, Michigan passed a state-wide prohibition measure, which took effect May 1, 1918. The Sumnerville Tavern remained a grocery store until federal prohibition ended in 1933.
  • In 1918 the Willises sold the Tavern to his mother Maggie Willis, who then sold it to William Macherner, Harry and Adah Bossard in 1922. 
  • The Bossards operated it as a grocery store until 1924 when they sold it to William and Lena Runkle.
  • The Runkles sold it in 1925 to Herman and Edith Bowles, who resold it in 1926 to Fred and Ida Freeman.
  • Fred Freeman added a pool table and gas pumps out front of the tavern, but with vehicles (including a hearse carrying a body) failing to negotiate the 90 degree turn and crashing into the pumps, he eventually built a new concrete basement and foundation, and turned the building itself 90 degrees. "The building which for 80 years faced west was turned to face south. What had been the side of the building, facing north, now faced, as it still does the Indian Lake road. A large porch over the new front was built as well as tow large windows on each side of the new entrance."
  • In December 1945 Fred and Ida Freeman sold the tavern to Ernest and Beverly Endres.
  • Beverly acquired the tavern upon their divorce and sold it to Adolph and Katheryn Mueller in January 1949.
  • The Muellers refurbished the tavern in the 1950s and closed the grocery store portion of the business.
  • After Adolph died in Sep 1970, Katheryn Mueller sold the business to Vivian Briggs and her brother Richard Polega.
  • Polega and Briggs sold the tavern to Charlies Richer in 1973. Richer's wife Peggy did most the cooking in the tavern, with the help of a new large grill and full scale kitchen.
  • In 1976, the Historical Society of Michigan designated the tavern, now the "Old Tavern Inn," as the oldest business in its original biulding in the state.
  • In 1989 Larry and Judy Greenwood purchased the business, which they then operated for teh next 17 years.
  • Finally in January 2006, the Greenwoods sold the tavern to Jeff and Val Gaideski.


61088 Indian Lake Rd, Niles, MI 49120 - (269) 683-9510
Est. 1836, as Sumnerville Tavern, By 1976 as Old Tavern Inn - Building constructed: 1836 
Previous bars in this location: Sumnerville Tavern
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor - wrkr - banana1015 

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