Site of General Nicholas Smith's Tavern - Springfield, Missouri - American Guide Series on Waymarking.com

The SITE OF GENERAL NICHOLAS SMITH'S TAVERN is marked by a granite table on the south wall of a two-story, gray-brick building at 222 ½ Boonville Avenue. The tavern, whose dates of erection and demolition are uncertain, faced the Warsaw Road, Springfield's earliest outlet, and was used as a station on the Butterfield Stage Line, which carried the first overland mail from Missouri to San Francisco in 1858. The arrival of the first stage was celebrated at the tavern with a banquet, speeches, and fireworks. - Missouri: A Guide to the "Show-Me" State, Springfield section, pg. 334.

The marker listed still exists at this location.  It is next to a Chinese restaurant.

 Text of marker:

Site of Gen. Nicholas Smith's tavern on Boonville Road, earliest outlet of Springfield, also station of Butterfield Stage route carrying firs overland mail from St. Louis to Pacific coast.  Government subsidy $600,000, yearly.  First mail left St. Louis Sept. 16, 1858, by rail, arriving Tipton after of same day, then by stage, reaching Springfield 3:15 p.m., Sept. 17, and San Francisco 7:30 a.m., Oct. 10, time 23 days, 23 hours from St. Louis, 2765 miles, longest mail state route ever attempted, bi-weekly service Mondays and Thursdays from St. Louis.  141(later 167) stations en route.  First eastbound state left San Francisco early Sept. 15, arriving Springfield 3:00 p.m. Oct. 8, where hundreds welcomed its arrival as great event, banquet, speeches, fireworks.  Tim eastward trip 24 days, 18 hours, to St. Louis