Hayward Tavern

The Still River Cafe otherwise known as the old Hayward Tavern. The photois taken from near where Center Turnpike and Somers Turnpike joined, just west of the Still River.

The Somers Turnpike from Woodstock passed to the right of the tavern and Center Turnpike passed to the left from this vantage point. The newer hipped-roof part of the tavern faced the Somers Turnpike.

This tavern is on the route of what was known in 1691 as Connecticutt Road. The 1600s road heading towards the Connecticut River valley was little more than a well used bridle path. In early Colonial records this would have been called a Country Road, a.k.a. a King's Highway (a route with the right of passage provided under the Crown's protection).

This route branched just west of the tavern, with one fork pointing to the Freshwater Plantation on the Connecticut River and the other pointing to Hockanum, just opposite Hartford. The Hartford route was identified in 1705 as the Woodstock to Hartford Road and by 1718 was referred to as Hartford Old Road. From the Hayward Tavern the Woodstock to Hartford road headed towards Moose Meadow, Roaring Brook and a crossing on the Willimantic River. In Tolland the route branched again with one leg continuing through Tolland to Bolton Notch and on to Hartford and the other leg of the branch pointing to Windsor.