The Harnden Family Reunion visited their namesake Col. Joshua Harnden Tavern in Wilmington, Massachusetts. The tavern doubles as the Wilmington Town Museum.
Terry McDermott, curator of the tavern, hosted the Harndens’ visit. A tour began in the “grog room,” with displays and information about the tavern and the volunteer effort to restore it. The “keeping room,” also known as “Abigail’s kitchen,” is named after a former resident. The tavern’s “secret hiding spot” is believed to have been used during the Civil War-era “Underground Railroad” as a place for runaway slaves to hide while making their way north to escape to Canada.
The tavern is furnished with genuine 18th and 19th century antiques by the Friends of Harnden Tavern, a volunteer group working with the Wilmington Historical Society.
From a story by Mac McEntire in the Wilmington Advocate, Concord, Massachusetts.
