by Jane Leisteiner

We have searched the Bed and Breakfasts of the Buckeye State and found the Most Historic Inns in Ohio. The list features historical sites that let travelers experience a piece of Midwestern history from an architectural perspective.


Civil War History

Once a stop on the Underground Railroad, The Hallauer House Bed and Breakfast in Oberlin is filled with Civil War history. The 1830s Greek Revival home, located a short drive from Oberlin College, is decorated with artifacts from the war era. The three guestrooms include the Union Room, the Confederate Room and the Mason-Dixon room, and each is decorated in period style with touches such as Civil War uniforms. The home also has a secret cut-out section of floor covering an alcove that presumably once protected slaves escaping the South. Guests who opt for the inn’s History Buff Package can hear stories of the war and Underground Railroad from innkeeper Joe Woodward, as well as receiving a book, tickets to the Oberlin Heritage Center, and a handmade Civil War penny rug.

Located just half a block from Ulysses S. Grant’s boyhood home, the 1830s Bailey’s House, is an historic gem. The home is one of the oldest in Georgetown and appears nearly the same as it did in 1832, save for an addition from the 1870s. The Bailey family were close friends of the Grant’s, and the future president visited the house often as a young man. The three guest rooms are decorated with antiques, adding to the historic ambiance. The home is close to quilt barns, covered bridges, historic sites, and even wineries.

The Oldest Home in Springboro

Listed in the National Register and built in 1815, the Wright House Bed and Breakfast is the oldest home in Springboro and was built for the town’s founder. The home also served as part of the Underground Railroad. The historic dcor features items such as a player piano and pump organ. Guest rooms are decorated with antiques, and one guest bath includes an antique clawfoot tub.

Two Hundred Years of Hospitality

Presidents, writers and railroad barons are among the famous guests that have stayed at the Golden Lamb in Lebanon. The National Register inn has been in continuous operation for more than 200 years. The oldest part of the of the inn, built in 1803, now houses a full-service restaurant. Guest rooms and common areas are located in later additions, all of which date prior to the Civil War. The antique-filled rooms boast the names of some of the prominent guests, such as the John Quincy Adams Room, Ronald Reagan Room, Harriet Beecher Stowe Room and the Charles Dickens Room.

Time Travel

Built as a stagecoach stop along a route from Buffalo to Cleveland, Rider’s 1812 Inn has served a variety of guests to the Painesville area. Among them are runaway slaves seeking refuge along the Underground Railroad and soldiers returning home at the end of the Civil War. In the 1920s, the inn was even used as a speakeasy. The inn’s dining room, named for the original owner’s third wife, still serves up authentic 19th-century recipes.

About the Author:

Jane Leisteiner writes about B&Bs and traveling. For further details on Ohio bed and breakfast inns or going to a bed and breakfast in general, check out the American Historic Inns website.
Don’t reprint this article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.