History of the Building
According to town records, Elihu Holcomb originally constructed
our building for the Shubael Hoskins Jr. family in 1730. The main structure
filled the main bar area and half of the kitchen. It boasted not only a
second floor, but also a wrap around porch that has since been integrated into
the bar area. After 1807, it was used for a short time as a “shop and barn”,
and eventually sold as a tavern in 1866. From that point it continued operating
as a stagecoach stop and roadhouse known as Old Knights Inn. During the 1880’s
the Higley family operated it as a tavern and brothel. In about 1885 a relative
visited the Higley’s from Utah named Seth Higley. During the Blizzard of 1888
Seth passed away; and as was custom he was buried in the basement until the
spring to thaw. The only problem was poor old Seth had no assets, and in the
spring there was no money to pay for a proper burial. Hence Seth is still
where he was placed in the winter of 1888.
The tavern and brothel continued operation until Prohibition in
1916, and the name was forced to change to King Phillip Diner. In 1935 Mr.
and Mrs. Arnold Daden bought the building and named it The Old Well. They
doubled the size of the structure, the existing bar top is the 1935 original,
and is in the same location as the bar top since 1860.
After the flood of 1955, Hopmeadow Street was moved to its
present location; originally it went right by our front door. In 1973 the
property was sold and eventually became known as The Inn Place, a bar and music
venue. In 1982 Joe Pazzato bought the property, opened Gemini’s Café and added
the final expansion in 1985 to encompass what was once the bar area.
In the fall of 2003, Steven and Lisa Antonio began negotiations
to buy the structure to be known as The Lobster Barn.
In December of 2005, Reno and Kristen Benson began their lease of
this building currently known as
Reno’s Gathering Place.
