• Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Mission
    • Membership
    • Speakers
    • Contact
  • Exhibitions
    • Permanent Exhibits
    • Past Exhibits
    • New Exhibits 2021
  • History
    • Historic Sites
    • Historic Preservation Awards
    • Movin' Energy
    • D & H Canal Park at Lock 31
    • Historical Links
  • Museums
    • Main Museum
    • Bethel School
    • D & H Canal Park at Lock 31
    • Old Stone Jail
    • J.B. Park Farm Museum
    • Adam Jubinsky Building
  • Happenings
    • Calendar
    • News
    • Archive
  • Research
    • Research Library
    • Index Search
    • Vital Records
    • Historic Topics
    • Township Histories
    • Genealogy in Wayne County
  • Donate Today!
  • Online Gift Shop
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Mission
    • Membership
    • Speakers
    • Contact
  • Exhibitions
    • Permanent Exhibits
    • Past Exhibits
    • New Exhibits 2021
  • History
    • Historic Sites
    • Historic Preservation Awards
    • Movin' Energy
    • D & H Canal Park at Lock 31
    • Historical Links
  • Museums
    • Main Museum
    • Bethel School
    • D & H Canal Park at Lock 31
    • Old Stone Jail
    • J.B. Park Farm Museum
    • Adam Jubinsky Building
  • Happenings
    • Calendar
    • News
    • Archive
  • Research
    • Research Library
    • Index Search
    • Vital Records
    • Historic Topics
    • Township Histories
    • Genealogy in Wayne County
  • Donate Today!
  • Online Gift Shop

David Wilder Tavern

David Wilder Tavern.jpgBethany David Wilder built this large brick house in 1809. He had come from New Hampshire to Bethany in 1803 and married Sophie Tyler of Damascus. They farmed their 85 acres and in 1811 opened a licensed house and inn. The original license is still in the house. License to a Retailer of Merchandise, including wine and spirits. in the County of Wayne. It is marked No. I and is dated December 31, 1815, according to an Act of Congress passed August 1813. Exterior bricks for the house were said to have come from England and by ox cart from Newberg, New York. The spacious house has eight fireplaces, one in each corner room of the first and second floors . Each floor has a wide central hallway. Charity Wilder, daughter of David and Sophie, married the Honorable James Manning of Bethany. They passed the property to their daughter Alice Manning Paynter and her husband Lee who were the parents of Ernest Paynter, mayor of Bethany, and his wife Elma Foster Paynter, the fourth generation of the same family who owned this historic Georgian house.

From 1993 through 2008 the Honesdale National Bank published an annual wall calendar, each featured 13 historic sites. The sites were chosen and researched by a committee of the historical society and artwork was commissioned to Judy Hunt and William Amptman by the bank.

This page was one month of the calendar and was made possible through the Wayne County Commissioners and a Tourism Promotion Committee’s Tourism Grant.

 

 

Previous

Davall House

Next

Deegan Tower Chimes

Up

Navigation
#
D & H Canal Park at Lock 31
The D&H Canal Park at Lock 31 has 16 beautiful acres to explore. The site features the historic…
#
Historic Preservation Awards
The Wayne County Historical Society may give recognition on an annual basis to individuals,…
#
Historic Sites
About the Wayne County Historical Society
#
Historical Links
Historical Links
#
Movin' Energy
Movin' Energy: The History of the Delaware and Hudson Canal 1828-1898 exhibit is housed in the 1993…
News and Events
#
Towpath Guided Walk May 13, 2023
May 13, 2023, 10:00 AM
Come and learn about the history of Lock 31 and the D&H Canal at 10:00 a.m., on May 13, 2023.…
#
Canal Boat Pavilion Grand Opening Dinner Walk June 17, 2023
Jun 17, 2023, 6:00 AM
The event at D& H Canal Park at Lock 31 will be able to showcase the completed replica canal…
#
Wayne County’s canal boat replica to be named after Clinton Leet
Aug 19, 2023, 10:00 AM
The Wayne County Historical Society is planning its 10th annual Canal Festival for August 19, 2023.…

About us   

Welcome to the Wayne County Historical Society, home of the full-size replica of the Stourbridge Lion, the first locomotive to run on commercial track in the United States.

Our main museum and museum shop are housed in a building built in 1860 as headquarters of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company....click here for more information.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

News and Events

#
Calendar
Calendar of Events at Wayne County Historical Society
#
News
News the Wayne County Historical Society

Historic Sites

#
Fireproof Building - Bethany Public Library
Bethany - Bethany Borough was established in 1800 as a seat for the new…
#
Berkemeir House
Rt. 652, Beach Lake Historic Preservation Award given in 2002 to Michael &…

Research Library

#
Genealogy in Wayne County
Genealogical records WCHS Research Library at 810 Main Street, Honesdale…
#
Historic Topics
Research materials at the WCHS Research Library, your best source for the…

Copyright 2023. All Rights Reserved. Trademarks are of their respective owners.
Website Designed and Hosted by: SDM WPS Technology Services Company.

  • Home
  • About
  • Exhibitions
  • History
  • Museums
  • Happenings
  • Research
  • Donate Today!
  • Online Gift Shop