Mermaid House Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Mermaid House Hotel
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 114 E. St. Louis St., Lebanon, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Built | 1830 |
| Architect | Lyman Adams |
| NRHP reference No. | 75002078 |
| Added to NRHP | December 4, 1975 |
The Mermaid House Hotel, located in Lebanon, Illinois, is a very old and special building. It was built in 1830 by a man named Lyman Adams. He used to be a sea captain. He named the hotel after the mermaids he believed he saw during his travels at sea.
Contents
History of the Mermaid House
Building a Landmark
In 1830, Lyman Adams, a retired sea captain, built this hotel. He came from New England, a region in the northeastern United States. Captain Adams chose the unique name "Mermaid House" because of his exciting stories. He claimed to have seen mermaids during his long voyages across the ocean.
A Famous Visitor
The Mermaid House Hotel became quite well-known. In 1842, a very famous English writer named Charles Dickens visited the hotel. He wrote about his trip to America in a book called American Notes. In his book, Dickens mentioned how clean and comfortable the Mermaid House was.
He wrote about his experience:
The public-house was so very clean and good a one, that the managers of the jaunt resolved to return to it and put up there for the night, if possible. This course decided on, and the horses being well refreshed, we again pushed forward, and came upon the Prairie at sunset.
Returning to Lebanon that night, we lay at the little inn at which we had halted in the afternoon. In point of cleanliness and comfort it would have suffered by no comparison with any English alehouse, of a homely kind, in England.
This shows that even a famous traveler like Dickens was impressed by the hotel.
Becoming a Historic Place
Because of its long history and connection to important events, the Mermaid House Hotel was recognized as a special building. On December 4, 1975, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history. Being on this list helps protect the building and its story for future generations.
