Madden's Tavern
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| Madden's Tavern | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Nearest city: | Lignum, Virginia |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Built/Founded: | 1840 |
| Added to NRHP: | August 16, 1984 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 84003526 [1] |
| Governing body: | Private |
A rare occurrence in antebellum Virginia, Madden’s Tavern once functioned as a prime example of black entrepreneurship. The building was completed in 1840, and was run by a free black named Willis Madden. Before running his own business, Madden worked a variety of trades, including a blacksmith, distiller, cobbler, teamster, farm laborer, and nail maker. Using the money and experience earned from these jobs, Madden was able to buy eighty-seven acres in Culpeper County, and set up his business at the crossroads of Old Fredericksburg Road and Peola-Mills-Kellysville Road. The business included a four-room main building, a general store, a blacksmith wheelwright shop, and several other outbuildings and shed. The western half of the tavern contained the family living quarters, and the eastern portion consisted of a downstairs public room and a loft for overnight guests. The railroad developments of the 1850’s hit Madden’s enterprise hard, giving the business little time to recover before it suffered extensive damage during the Civil War.
[edit] References
- ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
- Madden’s Tavern [1] - Virginia African Heritage Program
