Union Oyster House
Encyclopedia
Ye Olde Union Oyster House, open to diners since 1826, is the oldest restaurant
in the United States of America. It is located at 41-43 Union Street
, Boston, Massachusetts. The building was listed as a National Historic Landmark
on May 27, 2003.
The building itself was built prior to 1714, most likely in 1704. Before it became a restaurant, Hopestill Capen's dress goods business occupied the property. In 1771 printer Isaiah Thomas
published his newspaper, The Massachusetts Spy
, from the second floor. The restaurant originally opened as the Atwood & Bacon Oyster House on August 3, 1826.
With such a long and illustrious history, the Union Oyster House has had its share of famous people in history as diners, including the Kennedy clan
and Daniel Webster
. Perhaps most surprising, in 1796 Louis Philippe, king of France
from 1830 to 1848, lived in exile on the second floor. He earned his living by teaching French
to young women. America's first waitress, Rose Carey, worked there starting in the early 1920s. Her picture is on the wall on the stairway up to the second floor.
The food is traditional New England
fare, including seafood
s such as oysters, clams
, and lobster
s, as well as poultry
, baked beans
, steak
and chops
. The toothpick
was said to have been popularized in America starting at the Oyster House.
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
in the United States of America. It is located at 41-43 Union Street
Union Street (Boston, Massachusetts)
Union Street is a street in Boston, Massachusetts, near Faneuil Hall and the North End. Prior to 1828, it was also called Green Dragon Lane.-See also:* First Baptist Church * James Franklin * Green Dragon Tavern...
, Boston, Massachusetts. The building was listed as a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
on May 27, 2003.
The building itself was built prior to 1714, most likely in 1704. Before it became a restaurant, Hopestill Capen's dress goods business occupied the property. In 1771 printer Isaiah Thomas
Isaiah Thomas
Isaiah Thomas , was an American newspaper publisher and author. He performed the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Worcester, Massachusetts and reported the first account of the Battles of Lexington and Concord...
published his newspaper, The Massachusetts Spy
Massachusetts Spy
The Massachusetts Spy was a newspaper published by Isaiah Thomas in Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts in the 18th century.-Further reading:...
, from the second floor. The restaurant originally opened as the Atwood & Bacon Oyster House on August 3, 1826.
With such a long and illustrious history, the Union Oyster House has had its share of famous people in history as diners, including the Kennedy clan
Kennedy family
In the United States, the phrase Kennedy family commonly refers to the family descending from the marriage of the Irish-Americans Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald that was prominent in American politics and government. Their political involvement has revolved around the...
and Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
. Perhaps most surprising, in 1796 Louis Philippe, king of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 1830 to 1848, lived in exile on the second floor. He earned his living by teaching French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
to young women. America's first waitress, Rose Carey, worked there starting in the early 1920s. Her picture is on the wall on the stairway up to the second floor.
The food is traditional New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
fare, including seafood
Seafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
s such as oysters, clams
CLaMS
CLaMS is a modular chemistry transport model system developed at Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany. CLaMS was first described by McKenna et al. and was expanded into three dimensions by Konopka et al....
, and lobster
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
s, as well as poultry
Poultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
, baked beans
Baked beans
Baked beans is a dish containing beans, sometimes baked but, despite the name, usually stewed, in a sauce. Most commercial canned baked beans are made from haricot beans, also known as navy beans – a variety of Phaseolus vulgaris – in a sauce. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, a tomato...
, steak
Steak
A steak is a cut of meat . Most are cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers, improving the perceived tenderness of the meat. In North America, steaks are typically served grilled, pan-fried, or broiled. The more tender cuts from the loin and rib are cooked quickly, using dry heat, and served whole...
and chops
CHOPS
Chops is the stage name of Scott Jung, an Asian American hip hop producer, rapper and former member of the Asian American Hip-Hop group the Mountain Brothers. Jung grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has Chinese ancestry...
. The toothpick
Toothpick
A toothpick is a small stick of wood, plastic, bamboo, metal, bone or other substance used to remove detritus from the teeth, usually after a meal. A toothpick usually has one or two sharp ends to insert between teeth. They can also be used for picking up small appetizers or as a cocktail...
was said to have been popularized in America starting at the Oyster House.