The Birchwood Inn - A taste of Old England in New England
 
 

History traces the opening of the Birchwood Inn to around 1775. Although in operation around that time, the present brick structure was probably built around 1800. The present barns were added in 1848 and the total inn has remained in very much the same form since that time.

 

Two centuries have watched “The Old Hotel” entertain many an over-night guest. Henry David Thoreau among them. In addition to the tavern, dining and guest room operations, the inn has housed the Temple post office, a small general store, the town meeting hall, and most recently, an antique shop. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the Birchwood joins the rest of the Temple Center historic district in protecting and preserving the colonial beauty of the village.

One of the most notable features of the inn is the guest lounge mural, painted by Rufus Porter 1825-33. A New England itinerant painter, Porter’s works can also be found at Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts.
Now on the National Register of historic Places, the Birchwood joins the rest of the Temple Center historic district in protecting and preserving the colonial beauty of the village. It is our hope that all of our guests will help us recapture and retain the nostalgia of the Birchwood Inn.