The Wainwright Inn 1766 – the present

Our house was originally built by Captain Peter Ingersoll in 1766 on the site of an older house built in 1720s by his father Moses Ingersoll, and was known as the Troy Tavern and Inn. The colonists undoubtedly met right in our living room, planning their participation in the siege of the British troops in Boston. During the American revolution, our house served as a fort and colonial armory.

Sometime in between 1790-1792 the house was bought by prominent citizen of Great Barrington David Wainwright, a local selectman (1809-1813). The house became home to his grand-daughter Electra and her husband Ebenezer Pope. One of their sons, Franklin Pope, remodeled the house in 1890 adding our porches and named it Wainwright Hall.

Franklin Pope with Thomas Edison were co-inventors of the ticker tape. Pope was an engineer, inventor, and patent attorney who did extensive work on the telegraph and electrical systems in Great Barrington, assisted by his brothers Ralph and Henry Pope.

Wainwright Hall, as it was known at the turn of the century, was a tourist destination featuring the best amenities of its day.

Successive owners have added to the charm and the diversity of the house, keeping it a well maintained Great Barrington Landmark. Come see the Wainwright Inn as it once again serves the traveling public.