Lockwood Tavern turns 200

Byram n Many people sit at the light on Lackawanna Road waiting to turn onto Route 206, but few take much notice of the large building opposite the intersection. If they do, they may know it as Barone’s. They may know the lower level is the Lockwood Tavern. If they are natives, they even know the area in which they are impatiently waiting is known as Lockwood. It’s almost a sure bet they don’t know the Lockwood Tavern, has been an established business for 200 years and celebrated its bicentennial birthday this September. According to the present owners, the tavern was originally built in 1807 by Daniel Chambers and became a popular stagecoach stop along the Union Turnpike which stretched from Newton to Elizabeth. A History of Byram, by Carl O. Johnson and Elspeth Hart, available through the Byram Historical Society, records that William McKain bought the tavern in 1816. “McKain was known as the Governer” and renamed the establishment the Lockwood House. June Dobson of the Byram Township Historical Society together with tavern manager Elmer Foster, confirm that the building has always housed a tavern, although several other business entities thrived under the roof. A hotel was also housed on the site, once a welcoming place where a weary traveler “could rent a room for the night at the price of 12 ½ cents, and if you were willing to share your bed it would cost you only 8 cents”. The building was also the local Post Office in the 1830s, the Postmaster being McKain himself. The restaurant also went under the names of Plumbo’s and Columbo’s. The Barone family has owned and operated the business for more than 20 years. Elmer Foster, current manager of the tavern has worked there for 21 years. Foster says that he has “met people from probably 10 different states during the last month” who have come to visit the historic site adding “it is still a stop for travelers”. Word of mouth is what brings people, the owners note. There have been too many changes to the structure for it to be listed on historic site registers, but to Byram residents it is as historic as it gets. Over the past several years, the owner has spent a great deal of time landscaping the grounds. An efficiently planted and well tended herb garden now sits on the north lawn, just outside the kitchens. Chefs utilize the home grown crops in preparing their cuisine. Although the building and grounds have evolved over time, the basic interior structure of the tavern has remained authentic. The original stone pillars and fireplaces, large log supports and lumbered floor, keep the feeling of the 1800s environment while the bustle of the new millennium happens right outside the planked, arched door. Foster adds that their current success is that “the food has always been great and the prices at a reasonable level”. To celebrate their bicentennial, they are offering take-out pizzas for $5.95 and dollar domestic drafts from 3 to 6 p.m., Mondays through Fridays at the bar only. The Lockwood Tavern and Barones is located at 77 Route 206, Byram Township, NJ 07874 and can be reached at 973-347-0077 or www.barones.com