You can still drink in a tavern older than the United States – here’s where

William Mayes Jr.’s Pirate Tavern Through Three Centuries

The White Horse Tavern in Newport hides a wild past behind its colonial walls. William Mayes Jr. ran the place from 1702 while living a double life as a pirate who once raided a Mughal treasure ship.

Newport folks kept his secret despite British bounty hunters.

Then came war. Hessian troops kicked out the Nichols family in 1776, who later returned to add the gambrel roof we see today.

By the 1950s, the tavern faced the wrecking ball until the Newport Preservation Society stepped in. Their three-year fix-up job saved America’s oldest tavern and showed how historic eateries could pay their own way.

The tavern’s three-century story waits for you in Newport.

A Rich Englishman Built What Would Become America’s Oldest Tavern

Francis Brinley moved to Newport in 1652 and built a small two-story home at the corner of Farewell and Marlborough Streets. The house had just two rooms on a quarter acre of land.

Newport was only 13 years old then, started in 1639 by people who left Massachusetts Bay Colony for religious freedom.

Brinley’s family lived in this simple home for 21 years, never guessing it would one day become America’s oldest working tavern.

The White Horse Opens Its Doors to Thirsty Colonists

William Mayes Sr. bought the Brinley house in 1673 and saw its bigger potential.

He quickly turned it into a tavern and made the building bigger to welcome guests looking for food, drinks, and company. The tavern soon became much more than a bar.

Rhode Island’s General Assembly, Criminal Court, and City Council all met there.

Before Newport built its Colony House in the 1730s, the White Horse Tavern served as the unofficial government headquarters.

Mayes Sr. got one of the colony’s early liquor licenses.

Sailors Turned Against Their Captain and Picked a New Leader

William Mayes Jr. joined William Kidd’s crew on the Blessed William in 1689, sailing the Caribbean hunting for prizes. The crew grew unhappy with Kidd, and Robert Culliford led a mutiny.

After leaving Kidd on a beach, the rebel sailors voted Mayes as their new captain. Captain Mayes sailed to New York where Governor Jacob Leisler gave him permission to attack French ships.

Kidd never forgot this betrayal and later put Mayes on his wanted pirate hunter list in 1695.

Pirates Found Paradise on a Far-Away Island

Mayes traded his ship for another called Jacob and sailed to Madagascar in late 1690. The remote island was perfect for pirates, far from colonial authorities.

Mayes spent years building wealth by raiding merchant ships crossing the Indian Ocean. In early 1694, Governor Benjamin Fletcher of New York gave Mayes a new license to attack enemy ships.

Mayes had the 200-ton, 16-gun brigantine Pearl fitted out in Rhode Island, ready to return to pirate life.

The Pirate Fleet Gathered for Their Biggest Score

In August 1695, Mayes joined famous pirate Henry Every’s six-ship group in the Red Sea.

The fleet included Thomas Tew’s Amity, Richard Want’s Dolphin, Joseph Faro’s Portsmouth Adventure, and Thomas Wake’s Susanna. The pirates chose Every to lead their fleet of over 440 men.

The group waited at Perim Island, planning to attack the huge Mughal treasure convoy making its yearly trip to Mecca.

Mayes led Pearl with a crew of 30-40 men in what would become the most ambitious pirate operation of the era.

Treasure Beyond Their Wildest Dreams Fell Into Pirate Hands

On September 7, 1695, the pirates attacked the 25-ship Mughal convoy and captured the treasure ship Ganj-i-Sawai (Gunsway). Only Every’s Fancy, Mayes’ Pearl, and Faro’s Portsmouth Adventure joined the fight.

Every’s first shots destroyed the ship’s mainmast, leading to a brutal three-hour battle before the Indians gave up. The pirates took about £600,000 in precious metals and jewels, worth about $115 million today.

The Gunsway heist ranks as one of the most profitable pirate raids in history, making Every, Mayes, and their crews very rich men.

Newport Welcomed Its Pirate Neighbor Despite His Crimes

Mayes came back to Newport around 1700 with “vast wealth” from his pirate adventures. In 1702, he got the White Horse Tavern from his father and received a license to sell “all sorts of strong drink.”

Newport folks openly welcomed and protected their wealthy former pirate despite his bad reputation. British officials knew about his crimes but couldn’t arrest him because locals protected him.

Mayes ran the tavern while authorities tried to catch him for his pirate activities. His story may have inspired the fictional Captain Mission in the 1724 book “General History of the Pyrates.

Enemy Soldiers Forced the Tavern Owner to Leave His Business

British and Hessian forces took over Newport on December 8, 1776, starting a three-year occupation. Walter Nichols, who owned the tavern then, ran away with his family rather than live near enemy soldiers.

The British and Hessian hired fighters took over the White Horse Tavern, using it as housing during their stay. More than half of Newport’s 9,500 people left the city during this tough time.

The military presence hurt Newport’s economy and damaged many buildings, including the beloved tavern.

Rebuilding Brought New Life to the Historic Drinking Spot

Walter Nichols returned to Newport after British forces left in October 1779. He reopened the tavern and added the unique gambrel roof that still tops the building today.

Nichols also made the building bigger to its current size during this after-war rebuild. The tavern again served locals and travelers, helping Newport recover from war damage.

The White Horse stayed in the Nichols family for the next 200 years with only short breaks, keeping its place as a community gathering spot.

Hard Times Nearly Erased Newport’s Historic Treasure

Thomas and Bridget Preece bought the property from the Nichols family in 1895 and turned it into a boarding house. The building slowly fell apart as Newport’s economy struggled through the early 1900s.

City officials officially condemned the crumbling structure in the 1930s. By 1954, the tavern showed serious signs of neglect after years of poor upkeep.

The historic building faced being torn down unless someone stepped in to save it, threatening to erase a piece of American history forever.

Saving the White Horse Created a Blueprint for Historic Preservation

The Van Beuren family donated funds for the Preservation Society of Newport County to buy the property in 1954. The Society launched a careful three-year restoration project to save the building from the wrecking ball.

The tavern reopened in 1957 as a restaurant, with the Preservation Society running it to pay for ongoing maintenance.

This approach pioneered the historic restaurant preservation model, though they faced challenges getting liquor licenses due to nearby churches.

The government recognized the White Horse as a National Historic Landmark in 1972, ensuring the tavern would continue its 350-year tradition of hospitality while preserving a unique piece of American history.

Visiting White Horse Tavern, Newport

You can visit America’s oldest tavern at 26 Marlborough Street in Newport, where pirate William Mayes Jr. ran his double life as innkeeper in the early 1700s.

The tavern now serves contemporary American cuisine with business casual dress required. Make reservations 2-4 weeks ahead by calling 401-849-3600 for groups of 5-8.

Dinner runs Sunday-Thursday 5:30-9:00 PM and Friday-Saturday until 10:00 PM, with bar seating for walk-ins.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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