Interactive Map

The furnished home exemplifies fine living in a long-ago era. It features information about the Third Lincoln-Douglas Debate, held in Jonesboro in 1858. Other historic items and pioneer families are also featured. Costumed guides will escort visitors through the home, and special programs will occur through-out the week-end. Please check the Facebook page for up-to-date information.  Call 618-697-1870 or 618-833-3228 for tours or events.

Lodging and food have been provided at this location since John Rutledge first opened the Rutledge Tiger Inn in 1825, when Hillsboro was just two years old. The inn was a wooden frame structure that served as a tavern and hotel. Rates that Mr. Rutledge could charge were set by the County Commissioners and included no more than 37-1/2 cents for a pint of whiskey, brandy or wine, and 12-1/2 cent for a quart of cider. Lodging could be not more than 12-1/2 cents per person per night and this was also the fee for stabling a horse. 

Two frame additions had been added to the inn by 1851, when John M. Hagee purchased it and re-named it Hagee House. This tavern/hotel was the one that Abraham Lincoln would have passed by after departing the train depot which was located to the north down what was then the Taylorville Road. He micht have sat on the tavern’s porch to chat with guests and townspeople. 

Part of the current brick structure replaced the Hagee House, which was cut into three sections and moved, to be used as private residences. Two remain and are in use as single family dwellings, at 719 Jefferson St. and 530 W. Summer St. The third section was at 423 W. Tremont St. and was torn down some years ago. Hotel Hillsboro was built in 1902 and other brick additions were built as needed over the years. 

Hotel Hillsboro was owned and operated by others over the coming years. Mrs. Otillia Brinton purchased the hotel and she and members of her family operate it for over 70 years. Mary Virginia (Brinton) Imle operated the hotel for 40 plus years, and it was during her tenure that the name was changed to the Red Rooster Inn. Later, competition with hotel chains and few guests caused financial setbacks and a deteriorating physical condition. 

The building stood empty for some time befoe John and Kendra Wright purchased the hotel in 2017 and over the next five years poured their hearts and finances to meticulously restore the entire structure. Today, the Historic Red Rooster Inn includes 13 hotel rooms, two suites, six apartments, bar/tap room restaurant, outdoor beer garden, and a state-of-the-art brewery and distillery. 

Local historians believe that the original iron hitching post on the west lawn of the Red Rooster Inn was located there during the time of the Hagee House. It’s quite possible that horses pulling Abraham Lincoln's carriage were secured to that post.

Opened in 1864, Spring Hill Cemetery is one of the oldest and largest cemeteries in Vermilion County. Gravesites related to Abraham Lincoln abound including those of Miriah Vance, his maid in Springfield, IL; General John Charles Black, Civil War Medal of Honor recipient; Colonel Oscar Harmon, friend of Lincoln and commander of the 125th Illinois Volunteer Infantry; Oliver Davis, judge, lawyer, and friend; and Dr. William Fithian, friend and client to name a few.

Open dawn to dusk.  An interpretive guide to the cemetery can be picked up at the office open Monday-Friday from 9 am to Noon and 1-3 PM.

Many visit this cemetery to see the burial site of Abraham Lincoln’s father and stepmother, Thomas Lincoln and Sarah Bush Lincoln.

Built circa 1838

The hotel was built by William Watson one of the first settler’s in Pittsfield. Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas would gather in the lobby when they were in town. Later Watson would sell the hotel to Joel Pennington whose son Goyn became friends with John G. Nicolay. The hotel was a very active place. Rooms above with retail space below. By the late 1800s one could find lodging, a barber shop, blacksmith and tack shops.

Lincoln's history doesn't stop at Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln also later became a popular stop along the historic Route 66, beginning in its infancey in 1926. 
In 2007, the World's Largest Covered Wagon was added along Route 66 and is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. 

Stop by and get your passport stamped during normal business hours - Monday thru Friday, 8 am - 5 pm. You may wish to call beforehand to insure the building is open for visitors.

Charleston, located in Coles County, Illinois, is home to Eastern Illinois University, a public university with a strong reputation for its teaching programs. Our city is also known for its historic downtown district, and rich Lincoln history. Surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes, including Lake Charleston, which provides opportunities for boating, fishing, and other outdoor activities, Charleston offers an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities. Overall, Charleston is a charming and welcoming city that offers a range of cultural and recreational opportunities. Charleston gives you the best of rural living in a friendly community.

Get your Passport to Your National Parks book stamped at the Christian County Courthouse in downtown Taylorville.  f

The statue on the grounds commemorates the story of a court case held at the old courthouse in Taylorville. The pigs under the courthouse trying to stay cool were making so much noise Lincoln could not make his arguments to the jury. Humorously, Lincoln requested  a "writ of quietus" from Judge David Davis. Today, this incident is marked by a statue of Abraham Lincoln and a pig.

A recent restoration of the Christian County Courthouse in the town square included exposing a beautiful glass dome that had been hidden by a false ceiling for many years.

The old courthouse that was the site of many Lincoln trials has been preserved at the Christian County Historical Museum complex on the east edge of town. Totally restored using original construction specifications, this 1839 building includes interior furnishings echoing courtrooms of the period. The Museum complex includes other early buildings, as well as a local history museum.

Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  The Passport Stamp was orginally at the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District Office in Jonesboro until it was closed.