Draft:Red Brick Tavern

The Red Brick Tavern

The Red Brick Tavern is located in Lafayette, Deer Creek Township, Madison County, Ohio. It is located along the National Road, U.S. State Rt 40, a midway point between Springfield and Columbus.

History: The tavern was completed in 1837 by Stanley Watson on land provided to him by William Minter. William Minter had been granted the land the tavern stands on for his service in the Revolutionary War. Stanley Watson married into the Minter family on April 28th, 1831 when he wed their daughter, Effie "Effa" Minter.

After its completion in 1837, the tavern served as a stagecoach stop for travelers going along the recently completed National Road. Several notable visitors over the years include 6 presidents; John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Burn, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Warren G. Harding, P.T. Barnum, Jenny Lind, and former speaker of the house, Henry Clay. For over a decade, the tavern was home to visitors of all stations. There was also an adjoining stable that housed the horses of the mail relay riders. The advent of the railroad caused the brick to close its doors in 1859. From 1859 until 1924, the building was used as a private home by the Minter family.