The John Bridges Tavern and Store Site is a historic tavern complex site located along Illinois Route 146 near Buncombe, Illinois. The tavern and store were built in the early 1830s by either John Bridges, Sr., or his son John Bridges, Jr. In 1838 and 1839, the Trail of Tears passed through southern Illinois, and the tavern and store served as a stopping place for Cherokee who had been removed from their homeland. Additionally, a spring on the property provided a water source for the Cherokee and their animals. The tavern burned down in 1940, and the complex has been partially demolished, but some remains of the store still stand and archaeological investigations have been conducted at the site.[2]
John Bridges Tavern and Store Site | |
 A nineteenth-century log outbuilding known as the "Wayside Store" is encased within this c. 1940 barn | |
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| Location | Illinois Route 146, Buncombe, Illinois |
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| Coordinates | 37°26′06″N 89°00′54″W / 37.43500°N 89.01500°W |
| NRHP reference No. | 100000962[1] |
| Added to NRHP | May 8, 2017 |
The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 8, 2017.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b "Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 5/8/2017 Through 5/12/2017". National Park Service. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
- ^ Wagner, Dr. Mark J. (November 22, 2016). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: John Bridges Tavern and Store Site" (PDF). Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 19, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2017.