Plainfield Halfway House
Encyclopedia
The Plainfield Halfway House is a historic building in Plainfield
, Illinois
. Plainfield was first settled in the 1820s by a group seeking to convert the local Pottawatomie to Christianity
. Squire L. F. Arnold, the first postmaster of Plainfield, owned the tract of land that the building stands on. In 1834, he built a small building to serve as a post office and a stop for stagecoaches. The property was sold in 1836, and a two-story building was constructed adjacent to the original structure. This new structure operated as a tavern
and inn. The inn earned its name by being halfway on the stagecoach line between Chicago
and Ottawa
. A year later, Dr. Erastus Wight became manager of the establishment, running it until his death in 1845. His son, Dr. Roderick Wight, took over from his father and purchased the building in 1850. He added a one-story addition to the back of the inn later that year.
The inn's large size made it an ideal site to conduct town affairs. It was used as a meeting hall in its early years and became the main location for Plainfield social events. The Plainfield Light Artillery used the building as a headquarters from 1856 until the Civil War. The building ceased to function as an inn starting in 1886, and was converted into a private residence. It was home to the decedents of the Wight family until 1956. The original building that served stagecoach passengers was demolished in the 1940s. The remaining building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on September 29, 1980.
Plainfield, Illinois
Plainfield is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2007 special census, the population is 37,334.The Village includes land in Plainfield and Wheatland townships. Part of Plainfield is located in Kendall County...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Plainfield was first settled in the 1820s by a group seeking to convert the local Pottawatomie to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Squire L. F. Arnold, the first postmaster of Plainfield, owned the tract of land that the building stands on. In 1834, he built a small building to serve as a post office and a stop for stagecoaches. The property was sold in 1836, and a two-story building was constructed adjacent to the original structure. This new structure operated as a tavern
Tavern
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food, and in some cases, where travelers receive lodging....
and inn. The inn earned its name by being halfway on the stagecoach line between Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Ottawa
Ottawa, Illinois
Ottawa is a city located at the confluence of the Illinois River and Fox River in LaSalle County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,786...
. A year later, Dr. Erastus Wight became manager of the establishment, running it until his death in 1845. His son, Dr. Roderick Wight, took over from his father and purchased the building in 1850. He added a one-story addition to the back of the inn later that year.
The inn's large size made it an ideal site to conduct town affairs. It was used as a meeting hall in its early years and became the main location for Plainfield social events. The Plainfield Light Artillery used the building as a headquarters from 1856 until the Civil War. The building ceased to function as an inn starting in 1886, and was converted into a private residence. It was home to the decedents of the Wight family until 1956. The original building that served stagecoach passengers was demolished in the 1940s. The remaining building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on September 29, 1980.