Old Tavern, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Sacramento County, California
The Old Tavern is a commercial building in Tudor Revival style in downtown Sacramento, standing on the same site since the 1840s. Its structure features steep pitched roofs, decorative half-timbering, and multi-paned windows characteristic of the style added in the 1920s, while the core of the building comes from the original wooden structure.
Built around 1849 or 1850 as a simple wooden structure, it originally served as a warehouse and moonshine production site near Sutter's Fort. In the 1920s it received its current English Revival style facade, operated as a brewery and tavern, and in 1982 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The name reflects its original purpose as a gathering place and drinking establishment, a role still visible in how people use the space today. The interior arrangement with cozy areas and simple furnishings shows it was designed as a spot where people could meet and talk.
The building sits in the center of Sacramento and is easy to reach on foot, surrounded by modern offices and shops that help with navigation and orientation in the downtown area. It is accessible to visitors who want to see its exterior appearance and understand how historic structures fit into the modern city.
Local lore suggests that in the 19th century, the upper floor housed a brothel visited by many Sacramento pioneers, reflecting the building's role as a well-known and lively place. This anecdote, though not fully verified, hints at the site's diverse past beyond its brewery and tavern function.
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