Searching For Ye Oldest Tavern Locally

I was reading a Boston Globe article about three different establishments laying claim to being the oldest bar in Boston, and it got me thinking about the same question on the South Coast.

After all, in an area where the Quakers had a stronghold, it would be interesting to find out if Abe Lincoln, Nathaniel Hawthorne or Herman Melville drank here.

From Mattapoisett, where a famous business built in 1799 claims to be the nation's oldest inn, to New Bedford, Dartmouth, and towns in between, I'm curious to find the oldest bar around. So as we celebrate a New Year, let's raise a glass together and turn back the hands of time.