Tweeds / Ben Franklin
There’s a local legend that Benjamin Franklin visited the Riverhead area in the 1750s to lay out mile markers along the old King’s Highway (now Route 25). A historical marker near Tweed’s claims Franklin used a carriage with an odometer in 1755 to oversee placement of 30 stone markers from Suffolk Courthouse (present-day Riverhead) to Orient Point
However, modern historians consider this a myth:
Research by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation notes inconsistencies—Franklin’s mother had died in 1752, yet local lore mentions his visit in 1755 to see her, and Riverhead wasn’t established as a town until 1792—two years after his death
Local investigations revealed the stone markers were most likely installed following an 1829 state law requiring mile markers along postal routes—not by Franklin himself
✅ Conclusion
Although the legend of Franklin’s journey through Riverhead is charming and tied to a nearby historical marker, there is no credible evidence to support his actual visit. Historical review suggests the marker tale is a local myth rather than factual history.
About the restaurant…
🏛️ Origins (1896) & Architectural Heritage
Founded in 1896 by saloon owner John J. Sullivan, the establishment originally served as a saloon and hotel located in the distinctive Queen Anne–style J.J. Sullivan Hotel building on East Main Street in downtown Riverhead—widely regarded as the oldest continuously operating restaurant and bar on the North Fork
The venue retains original period features: Victorian chandeliers, stained glass, tin ceilings, and a historic mahogany and marble bar sourced from the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago
🕰️ Political Ties & Prohibition Era Ingenuity
Sullivan was deeply connected to Tammany Hall, and the saloon was frequented by notable figures like Alfred E. Smith, four-term New York governor
When Riverhead enacted local prohibition in 1905, the saloon masked itself as a barber shop, routing alcohol upstairs through secret doors and dumbwaiters from a neighboring bakery
In 1909, after regulations restricted alcohol sales to hotels only, Sullivan moved the saloon structure back to become a kitchen and built a new three-story, 14-room hotel in front, built with rusticated concrete blocks from Flanders
⚖️ Mid-20th Century Transition
Sullivan passed away from a heart attack behind the bar in 1946; ownership continued with his son and later his daughter
The bar also served as a gathering point for local political leaders and county officials, maintaining its status as a political clubhouse
🔄 Decline & Revival
The property gradually fell into disrepair until the early 1970s, when Ed Tuccio, from a local founding family, purchased it
Tuccio rented out the space for a time, but in 1990—after a kitchen fire—he decided to take over and revive the restaurant, motivated by a desire to reinvest in Main Street
🦬 A Living Legacy
Today, the establishment is known as Tweeds Restaurant & Buffalo Bar, blending its historic environment with a focus on bison dishes, born from Tuccio’s introduction of a bison herd—the largest east of the Mississippi
Many original details remain intact: classic light fixtures, a buffalo head (claimed to be from Roosevelt's last bison), antique artifacts, and the iconic mahogany bar
It's also noted for maintaining tradition, hosting live jazz, political conversations, and preserving architectural and cultural heritage
✍️ In Summary
Tweed’s history spans from a Tammany Hall–linked saloon in 1896 to a Prohibition-era hidden bar, a century-old hotel, nearly succumbing to decline, and reborn in the 1990s through Ed Tuccio’s vision. Today, it thrives as a historic culinary landmark that honours both its architectural legacy and community roots.
