The tavern painted black to save on work

Hezekiah Healy built this place around 1803 and made a pragmatic decision: he painted the tavern black. He reasoned that the color would require less maintenance. The building served as a major stop on the stagecoach route between Boston and Hartford for transient travelers and local residents.

This is a textbook example of Federal period architecture, though it has been modified over time. You can see the original 1803 main block with its five-bay width and symmetrical windows, but there are also rear and side additions from 1810 and 1835. The porch across the front is a much later addition from about 1890.

Nichols College used the building as a dormitory during the 20th century until 1980. The Black Tavern Society - a local nonprofit established to preserve the structure - took ownership of the building in 1980.

Today, you can still see the fluted pilasters and the half-round transom window of the main entrance. It is a 2+1⁄2-story wood-frame structure that has survived stagecoaches, college students, and the test of time.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons