Built 1840 (1840) VLR # 023-0029 Opened 1840 Added to NRHP 16 August 1984 | NRHP Reference # 84003526 Designated VLR May 15, 1984 Area 2 ha | |
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Location VA 610, nearLignum, Virginia Similar Court Street Baptist C, Odd Fellows Hall, Anne Spencer House, Andrew B Cooke House, Ken | ||
A rare occurrence in antebellum Virginia, Madden's Tavern once functioned as a prime example of black entrepreneurship. The building was completed in 1840, and was run by a free black named Willis Madden. Before running his own business, Madden worked a variety of trades, including a blacksmith, distiller, cobbler, teamster, farm laborer, and nail maker. Using the money and experience earned from these jobs, Madden was able to buy eighty-seven acres in Culpeper County, and set up his business at the crossroads of Old Fredericksburg Road and Peola-Mills-Kellysville Road. The business included a four-room main building, a general store, a blacksmith wheelwright shop, and several other outbuildings and shed. The western half of the tavern contained the family living quarters, and the eastern portion consisted of a downstairs public room and a loft for overnight guests. The railroad developments of the 1850s hit Madden's enterprise hard, giving the business little time to recover before it suffered extensive damage during the Civil War.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.