The date was September 15, 1787. A party to remember was held in Philadelphia at the City Tavern. It’s as fine a place to have a party as I can think of. But I’m drinking a glass of wine right now so maybe my thinking isn’t as sharp as it usually isn’t. That establishment is still open today.
Earlier in that year George Washington was elected to be the President of the convention that wrote the US Constitution. The party was to thrown to honor his retirement from that presidency. A goodbye party for a guy who would soon say hello again (just two years later) when he became the first President of the whole shebang.
In the end it’s not clear who paid for the party but somehow the tab had George’s name on it. And since he was famous, they kept the tab. Later, nosy historians got to peek at it.
It was a doozy. It totaled up to 89 pounds, four shillings and two pence. In today’s inflation adjusted money it came to $15,400. And that’s before the tip. Everyone got fed and listened to music and drank, and drank, and drank some more. There were broken glasses to be paid for and the servants and the musicians had to be compensated. Back then there was no sales tax, so he saved a little there.
A look at the amount of intoxicating drink that was purchased, divided by the number of guests, yields a frightening total. I’m no math major, but since the guest list was very short… well, as they say, you do the math. And here is the equation to use:
54 bottles of Madeira, 60 bottles of Claret, 8 bottles of Whiskey, 22 bottles of Porter, 8 bottles of Hard Cider, 12 of Beer and seven bowls of Alcoholic Punch divided by 55 people = alcohol poisoning. That’s right, 55 people.
Alternately, either someone padded the bill, someone else paid for it, or a lot went out the back door and accidentally fell into some of the partygoers’ carts parked there.
If this stuff happened today no one would bat an eye because it’s paid for by the taxpayers. But actually, they probably didn’t care back then either. Yes, it was a party to remember, but you have to wonder how many attendees could remember anything about it the next day.
To celebrate the celebration if you’re in Philly, visit the City Tavern and hoist a Madeira. If you’re in New York, Uber over to Fraunces Tavern and tip a glass of Claret. If you are anywhere else, Georgie’s Pub and Grub for a few beers will work too. But just be sure the tab they’re padding doesn’t have your name on it.
Editors note: A lot of info for this story came from USA Today who claimed to be fact checking someone else’s story about it. But since their fact-checking department is paid for by FaceBook, they may be less than accurate. In any case, like all the rest of my stories, most of it is probably true.
This was very interesting…it sounds like the tab for my wedding in my parents yard in Beverly.Bob bartender and we got our liquor from the Joyce’s at Town Liquor.Bob and I went to Fraunces Tavern on one of our trips to New York.
I’m sure the musicians, waiters and other staff, barkeep, and etc drank their fair share too!