Bliss Tavern

A Brief History of Bliss Tavern in Haverhill, New Hampshire

Origins and Early Development (1788-1824)

Bliss Tavern, constructed around 1788 to1790, represents one of New Hampshire’s most significant historical inns with deep connections to both the county’s judicial system and the Underground Railroad. The Federal-style structure began construction by Dr. Isaac Moore but was completed by Captain Joseph Bliss, who became its first proprietor.

Located in Haverhill Corner at the intersection of the School Street and Court Street, the tavern occupied a strategically important position in northern New Hampshire. The building served as one of several taverns in the village center that hosted large crowds attending the nearby Grafton County Court, drawing its business from both the court personnel and stagecoach travelers along the Coos Turnpike that connected to Warren, Plymouth, Concord, and points south.

Architectural Significance

The tavern represents an exceptional example of late Georgian and early Federal architecture from the period. Built as a 5 by 5 bay, hip-roofed structure, it features narrow clapboard siding, a medium-pitched hipped roof with molded cornice, and 12/12 windows with molded framing. The building showcases two impressive center entrances - one on the south elevation and one on the west - both featuring 8-panel doors set beneath semicircular fan lights and open triangular pediments supported by attenuated entasis pilasters with double capitals.

The National Register documentation describes it as one of “the two largest wooden taverns in the Haverhill Corner Historic District,” mirroring the Williams Tavern of 1797 in both style and position. This architectural prominence reflected the building’s role in serving what was described as the “elite trade” among judges and court personnel during court terms.

The Underground Railroad Era (1830s-1860s)

One of the most remarkable chapters in Bliss Tavern’s history unfolded when Timothy K. Blaisdell became its operator in the 1840s. Blaisdell, identified as a “pronounced abolitionist,” transformed the tavern into a crucial station on the Underground Railroad. Far from being hidden away, the tavern operated its clandestine activities in plain sight, located directly next to the courthouse in the very center of town.

Blaisdell’s commitment to the abolitionist cause was well-documented. He was a founding member of the New Hampshire Anti-Slavery Society in 1835 and registered 95 members of his town in the state’s anti-slavery society registry. His dedication was so profound that he once recalled being “rotten egged” on Boston Common for delivering a public anti-slavery address as “the proudest moment of his life”.

Underground Railroad Operations

The tavern’s Underground Railroad operations were sophisticated and daring. A quarter-mile tunnel ran beneath School and Court Streets, connecting the tavern to a safer house at 96 School Street. From there, fugitive slaves would continue north toward Littleton and eventually to Canada. The cellar featured an opening in the wall that served as the beginning of this tunnel system, with a cellar alcove that could hide slaves before bringing them upstairs.

According to Blaisdell’s granddaughter, Mildred Paulsen, in a 1935 letter: “My grandfather, Timothy K. Blaisdell, was, so far as I know, the only person in town who received and cared for the fugitives and sent them on to Littleton or some other town north of here. I imagine, from what my mother told me, that many of the slaves came to my grandfather from Boston”.

Postal and Transportation Hub

Beyond its role in the Underground Railroad, Bliss Tavern held other significant functions in the community.   Appointed by George Washington, Joseph Bliss served as Haverhill’s first postmaster, establishing the tavern as an important communication center for the region. The location at the terminus of the Coos Turnpike made it a natural gathering place for travelers, merchants, and officials conducting business in the county seat.

Property Changes and Legacy

The Bliss family maintained ownership of the property until 1824, after which it changed hands several times throughout the 19th century. The building continued to serve various functions as Haverhill Corner’s importance as a county seat diminished with the arrival of the railroad and the eventual relocation of county offices to Woodsville.

Special Guest of Bliss Tavern

During the early years of his legal career, Daniel Webster was a regular guest at Bliss Tavern, where he frequently occupied the first-floor bedroom. He dined at a table specifically reserved for judges and lawyers and conducted legal proceedings in the Grafton County Court, which, at that period, was housed on the second floor of Pearson Hall adjacent to the tavern. 

Direct Family Lineage to Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson is the great-great-grandson of Reverend Daniel Bliss and Phebe Walker Bliss, who are the parents of Captain Joseph Bliss who was the first proprietor of Bliss Tavern.

Betty Johnson Gray Era

In 1976, 1950s pop singer Betty Johnson Gray, her husband Arthur Gray, Jr., and their daughters Elisabeth and Lydia took residence at Bliss Tavern. Arthur Gray, Jr. held a key position within Citizens for Eisenhower, serving as Chairman of Special Events during the 1952 Eisenhower campaign, where he organized major rallies such as the Madison Square Garden event in January 1952 and managed additional special events. During their time at Bliss Tavern, the Gray family became active participants in the Haverhill Corner community, supporting local initiatives including the church, library, and gardening club; Betty Johnson Gray was distinguished as a master gardener. In approximately 1997, Lydia Gray Barthalow and Stephen Barthalow constructed a Yankee Barn addition to Bliss Tavern. In September 2020, Betty relocated to South Carolina with Lydia and Stephen. The following year, the Gray and Barthalow families transferred ownership of Bliss Tavern to its current proprietors, Philip Szilva and Truman Sloan MD. 

Modern Status and Preservation

Today, Bliss Tavern stands as a testament to New Hampshire’s complex history, recognized both for its architectural merit and its role in American social justice movements. The building is listed as a contributing structure in the Haverhill Corner Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. Recent years have seen efforts to preserve and potentially restore the property, with plans for its future operation as a bed and breakfast or special events venue.

The tavern represents a unique convergence of New Hampshire’s judicial, transportation, and social justice history. Its survival provides tangible evidence of the courage demonstrated by ordinary citizens like Timothy K. Blaisdell, who risked imprisonment to aid freedom seekers while operating a business in full view of the courthouse that could have prosecuted him for his activities. As both a remarkable example of Federal architecture and a crucial Underground Railroad station, Bliss Tavern stands as one of New Hampshire’s most significant historical properties, embodying the complexity and courage that characterized the antebellum period in American history.