By: Sophie Pearson

With a part of our country’s history and so much of my own family’s, the 1790 House Restaurant and Tavern will never be uprooted, no matter the monetary offer.  Recently, the well-known, iconic restaurant on Route 9 inWestborough,MAhas displayed on the front lawn a ‘for sale’ sign. 

Having been in the family restaurant business since age 13, Kurt Pearson, owner of the 1790 Restaurant and Tavern, is ready to begin a new career path and, therefore, has come to the decision to sell.  The restaurant was started by his father Eric Pearson and business partner Ralph Swedberg in 1973.  The two men envisioned and created a small chain of 16 restaurants known for their quality sandwiches and ice-cream. 

For many reasons, this 1790 building is special.  The blueprints of the house are actually archived in theSmithsonianMuseuminWashingtonD.C.  It is rumored that General Lafayette and his troops had an encampment across the way andLafayetteseized this opportunity to visit Joseph Lothrop, the owner at the time.  Built in 1789, the vintage house was around beforeAmericahad its first president under the Constitution. 

However, it seems all of the historic sacredness this building upholds may be swept away in the eyes of a potential buyer. The name of the buyer cannot be stated, but the point is still made vividly clear.  A popular family chain restaurant proposed to Pearson that if they bought the lot, they would then demolish the building and thereafter construct a brand new restaurant to add onto their chain.  No pun intended, but there are 99 reasons this historic building should stay standing and be preserved. 

Having been around the 1790 my whole life, I have grown up making myself Shirley Temples at the bar, scooping ice-cream in the kitchen, and later working as a hostess for the main restaurant.  I have countless memories.  Playing hooky to spend the day with my dad at the office is one of my favorites.  Heading there for lunch with my late grandparents and having them show me all of the secret passageways and history the building contains makes this absurd proposal of purchase seem short sighted. 

Although the perfect location to bring in revenue for a restaurant is very appealing for this chain, the 1790 is not the right place for them to settle.