Monroe County history: 19th century inns and taverns were plentiful

As the gateway to the western territory in the early 19th century, Monroe County was home to a multitude of stage coach inns, taverns, boarding houses and early hotels.

These facilities offered weary travelers a number of services in addition to lodging – including repairs to stage coaches and access to veterinary care, among others.

"The Pageant of Historic Monroe" chronicled many of these structures and locations.  One interesting fact that was mentioned was the placement of inns, taverns, and other travel lodging approximately eight miles apart – what was considered a one day trip at the time.  Today, those same distances in Monroe and Monroe County can be traveled in a matter of minutes.

William White was a major operator of Monroe County’s inns and taverns – many opened in the 1820's and 1830's.  Locations in Newport, Brest, Ida, Petersburg and Dundee (among others) were operated by White. One might suppose that this was an early example of a lodging chain, á la Holiday Inn or Hilton.

In LaSalle, the Tavern of “Ma’am Jobinu” was located along the South Bank of Otter Creek.  Similarly, Erie (then known as Vienna) was the home of Smith’s Tavern.  In Ida, the Wayside Inn was the first business in the area -- known as a prime stop over the muddy roads and trails, equidistant from other taverns, according to the “Brief History of Ida, Michigan”, found on the Ida Township website.

Milan’s historic Stimpson Hotel/Danube Inn, located at 24 West Main Street in Milan, was built by Walter Stimpson in 1901. The hotel operated until 2011 when it was destroyed by fire. In Tecumseh, the first frame house built in the area (as part of Lenawee County) was built by General Brown in 1825.  It was known as the Green Tavern and functioned for a period as the only public house in the territory west of Monroe, as described in the Illustrated History and Biographical Record of Lenawee County, Michigan, written by John Knapp and Richard Illenden Bonner, which was published by the Times Printing Company in 1903.

Back to "The Pageant of Historic Monroe" book, another inn located in the City of Monroe laid claim to the Wayside Inn name.  This establishment was located at the corner of South Monroe Street and Front Street.  In this same vicinity, the American House (proprietor, Nathan Hubble) was also located at South Monroe Street and Front Street facing toward Monroe.  Nearby, the Red Light Tavern could be found near the southeast corner of Public Square.

West Front Street in Monroe was the home to the Murphy House (proprietor, James Murphy, near Hurd and Sterling) and the U.S. Hotel (proprietor, Orry Adams).  The Galloway Inn was found on the North Side of the River Raisin, and the Macomb House was built in the early 1830s on the east side of Macomb Street on the J.B. Fix home site.  Leander Fix, a successful carpenter, mason, and contractor, may have been involved in its construction.

The Harleston House sat where St. Michael’s Catholic Church current resides.  The Mansion House, built in 1835, was located on the Dansard Bank property and operated by Leander Sackett.  The Mulhollen House (First Street and Harrison), Railroad House (First Street and Hull Road), Union Humphrey House (in the Hubble Block), the Strong’s Hotel (built in 1859 by G.W. Strong – burned in the big 1868 Monroe Fire and replaced by the Park Hotel in 1869) were other Monroe Hotels.

The LaPlaisance (in native language – “Pleasant retreat”), the Point Aux Peaux (meaning “Fur point”), and the famous Hotel Lotus rounded out the resorts in Monroe County area.

Tom Adamich is President – Visiting Librarian Service, a firm he has operated since 1993. He also is Project Archivist for the Greening Nursery Company and Family Archives.