Bell in Hand Tavern

The Bell in Hand Tavern, located in the heart of Government Center, next to Faneuil Hall Marketplace, was established by Jimmy Wilson, Boston’s last known town crier who, for 50 years,  reported on everything from the Boston Tea Party to the birth of the nation.

The author (right) with son Jandy in front of the tavern

Upon retirement, Jimmy opened a tavern in 1795 at the Exchange Coffee House in Congress Square along Elm St. (where City Hall is now) and called it, appropriately enough, The Bell and Hand. Daniel Webster, Paul Revere, and William McKinley were known to have frequented the tavern.

The historical plaque posted outside the tavern

Though touted as “America’s oldest continuously operating pub,” this bar, currently managed by Eddie and Bryna Kaplan, is housed in two floors of a three-storey building that only dates back to 1844. The sculpture of hand holding the bell dominates the middle of the bar as you entered from either Marshall Street on the right or Union Street on the left.

The circa 1844 building housing the tavern

This watering hole features typical bar fare and has five bars, karaoke on Tuesday, and live music nightly.  The uniquely designed rooms, all having a character of its own, are used for private as well as corporate functions. The interiors consist of exposed brick and traditional wood.

The tavern’s interior

Bell in Hand Tavern: 45 Union St.,  Boston, Massachusetts 02108.  Open Sundays – Thursdays 11:30 AM – midnight, and Fridays and Saturdays, 11:30 AM – 2 AM. Tel: (617) 227-2098.  Website: www.bellinhand.com. E-mail: info@bellinhandtavern.com. Coordinates:   42°21’41″N   71°3’25″W.