It’s an old joke. I show you a beat-up, old ax and tell you that this is American history. It’s the very ax George Washington used to chop down that cherry tree.
Only thing is, the handle’s been replaced six times and the head four times. But it’s the very same ax!
Which brings me to Fraunces Tavern located down near the bottom of Manhattan Island. Built in 1719, it is the oldest structure in New York City. That was enough to get my attention. And when the heating contractor asked me to take a look at the heating system, which many hands have touched, I smiled and got on the Long Island Railroad.
It was here that George Washington bid farewell to members of the Continental Army at the conclusion of our American Revolution. And before the revolution, it was one of the meeting places of the Sons of Liberty. Throw a stick anywhere inside this building and you’ll hit significant American history, or a chicken pot pie. It’s a wonderful place and as a born and bred New Yorker, I was seeing it for the first time, which was a bit embarrassing. I really should have done this sooner, but then, I still haven’t been to the Statue of Liberty.
The thing about Fraunces Tavern is that it’s a lot like George Washington’s ax. Much of the original structure has been replaced over the years, but there’s still enough left to make it delicious. And then there’s the heating system.