The 1747 Pub in Annapolis, Maryland
When someone offers to buy you a drink in a nearby basement, you typically worry. Especially if the basement belongs to a hatter, mad or otherwise.
The 1747 Pub is the exception to the rule.
Just off of Church Circle in the historic downtown of Annapolis, the 1747 Pub is the original basement of The Beaver and Lac’d Hat, a hat shop and ordinary (or tavern) owned by William Reynolds. Reynolds leased the original property in 1747, hence the name of the pub which sits under the current Reynolds Tavern. The confusion starts when you read the placard out front which claims the original building is from 1737.
photo by: Kirsten Hower
Originally a hat shop and an ordinary, Reynolds Tavern is now a quaint tea room and working tavern.
The building remained a tavern until 1935 when it was nearly purchased by Standard Oil Company to be demolished and made into a filling station. Anyone who has driven through downtown knows that this would have been the worst idea possible for both the building and local traffic.
Thankfully the building was bought with funds from the Female Orphan Society and then converted into the Annapolis Public Library, with the basement functioning as the children’s section. The library outgrew the small space and moved in 1974, when the title was transferred to (who knew) the National Trust for Historic Preservation, who leased it to the Historic Annapolis Foundation.
photo by: Kirsten Hower
Just off of Church Circle, 1747 Pub retains its original colonial charm.
photo by: Kirsten Hower
Stop by on Mondays to enjoy Trivia Night on the back patio.
After a number of stops and starts to restore the building back to its colonial glory, the building was purchased in 2000 by Jill and Andrew Petit. With patience and a lot of elbow grease, the tavern now operates much as it did over 270 years ago.
photo by: Kirsten Hower
Tucked under Reynolds Tavern, the pub is a little gem that you’ll only find if you know where to look.
The pub, which can be accessed via the original 1737 staircase, retains its colonial charm and demeanor. Low ceilings are held up by the original stone and brick walls, decorated with quotes from the Founding Fathers (who may or may not have snuck in for a few pints themselves). Along one wall is a walk-in fireplace that makes the pub perfect for a reprieve from the winter winds that come off the water.
Location: 83 Franklin St, Annapolis, MD 21401
Hours: Sun-Thu, 11:00 am – 12:00 am; Fri-Sat, 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Don’t Miss: Monday Trivia Night on the back patio during the warmer months and inside the pub during the chillier ones.
You’re Having: Calvert Brewing Company’s 1747 Pub Ale
Best Yelp Review: “Winnity win win!”
