The Historic Broadway Hotel and Tavern
Indiana's Oldest Hotel and Tavern
Established 1834
Indiana's Oldest Hotel and Tavern
Established 1834
The Historic Broadway Tavern and Hotel is one of many old buildings still standing in this pre-civil war town of Madison, Indiana. Homesteaders began populating the area in the early 1800s. In about 1810, settlers purchased 65 acres of land from the Indiana Territorial government for about $2.50 per acre and christened the town "Madison" after the reigning President of the United States.
The Historic Broadway Hotel & Tavern is man's refuge from the cares of the world. For the traveler, it is a place to rest and eat before proceeding on his journey. For the local resident, it is a place to relax, exchange news, eat, drink...a relief, for the moment, from the fixin's and doin's and worryin's that characterize daily life.
It was in 1834 when the Historic Broadway Hotel & Tavern appeared in Madison, on Broadway Street, a couple of blocks from the Ohio River. The Riverboat men stopped here on their way to New Orleans. Jacob Smith, proprietor, paid careful attention to every guest...local citizens, riverboat men, and railroad men alike enjoyed his hospitality. His services included care of horses, wagons, and guests.
In the late 1800s the helm of this historic river town tavern was turned over to the Finnegan family. Mike and Dan Finnegan steered the tavern through the end of the horse and wagon era and into the horseless carriage age. After prohibition the Tavern began to thrive.
In 1939 the Finnegans turned the helm over to a gentleman named John Niehouse, who also owned the Old Ferry Boat, a side wheeler called the Trimble. In March 1946 the Taflinger family...Delbert and his wife, Della with sons, Bud and Warren, chartered the course of the lovely old Broadway Tavern until 1978. In 1978 Peggy, Maurice and their son, Mike Hublar, took over as Innkeepers. Peg, Maurice and Mike served hearty, appetizing dishes in a hospitable old atmosphere.
Libby Mann liked what she saw in the Broadway Tavern and Hotel when she purchased the building in 1992. She and her sons Larry and Ryan Shaw plunged into a challenging renovation. Restoration includes a courtyard for patio dining and renovation of the hotel rooms on the second and third floors. the ten hotel rooms have been renovated to include private baths and restored antiques that are original to the building. The Victorian decor provides a visit to the past for the many overnight guests who stay here.
Since the Broadway is the oldest continuously operated family tavern in Indiana, their goal is to preserve the historic authenticity of the Broadway's past, while enhancing the atmosphere and surroundings for the patrons of the future.
Libby and her family won honorable mention for their restoration of the Broadway in the Historic Rehabilitation category for 1993 out of 105 entries in the state.
Work continues today, but the 1834 building has already become a popular gathering place for visitors from all over the country; as well as remaining a popular mainstay for the residents of Madison, Indiana.
The Historic Broadway Hotel & Tavern is man's refuge from the cares of the world. For the traveler, it is a place to rest and eat before proceeding on his journey. For the local resident, it is a place to relax, exchange news, eat, drink...a relief, for the moment, from the fixin's and doin's and worryin's that characterize daily life.
It was in 1834 when the Historic Broadway Hotel & Tavern appeared in Madison, on Broadway Street, a couple of blocks from the Ohio River. The Riverboat men stopped here on their way to New Orleans. Jacob Smith, proprietor, paid careful attention to every guest...local citizens, riverboat men, and railroad men alike enjoyed his hospitality. His services included care of horses, wagons, and guests.
In the late 1800s the helm of this historic river town tavern was turned over to the Finnegan family. Mike and Dan Finnegan steered the tavern through the end of the horse and wagon era and into the horseless carriage age. After prohibition the Tavern began to thrive.
In 1939 the Finnegans turned the helm over to a gentleman named John Niehouse, who also owned the Old Ferry Boat, a side wheeler called the Trimble. In March 1946 the Taflinger family...Delbert and his wife, Della with sons, Bud and Warren, chartered the course of the lovely old Broadway Tavern until 1978. In 1978 Peggy, Maurice and their son, Mike Hublar, took over as Innkeepers. Peg, Maurice and Mike served hearty, appetizing dishes in a hospitable old atmosphere.
Libby Mann liked what she saw in the Broadway Tavern and Hotel when she purchased the building in 1992. She and her sons Larry and Ryan Shaw plunged into a challenging renovation. Restoration includes a courtyard for patio dining and renovation of the hotel rooms on the second and third floors. the ten hotel rooms have been renovated to include private baths and restored antiques that are original to the building. The Victorian decor provides a visit to the past for the many overnight guests who stay here.
Since the Broadway is the oldest continuously operated family tavern in Indiana, their goal is to preserve the historic authenticity of the Broadway's past, while enhancing the atmosphere and surroundings for the patrons of the future.
Libby and her family won honorable mention for their restoration of the Broadway in the Historic Rehabilitation category for 1993 out of 105 entries in the state.
Work continues today, but the 1834 building has already become a popular gathering place for visitors from all over the country; as well as remaining a popular mainstay for the residents of Madison, Indiana.