Rawlings' Hotel
CITY:
Old Shawneetown
COUNTY:
Gallatin
DEDICATED BY:
Gallatin Historical Society and The Illinois State Historical Society
DEDICATION DATE:
January 1, 1969 at 6:00:00 AM
The marker is located on the east side of Main Street in Old Shawneetown, just north and across the street from the large Greek Revival Shawneetown Bank.
One of Shawneetown’s earliest brick buildings, Rawlings’ Hotel, stood on this lot. It was built in 1821-1822 for Moses Rawlings, who owned it until 1841. On May 7, 1825, it was the site of a reception held for the Marquis de Lafayette during his visit to America, 1824-1825. Accompanied by Illinois’ Governor Edward Coles and other dignitaries, Lafayette walked between two long lines of people from the river’s edge to the hotel. The building was one of eleven destroyed by fire, June 23, 1904.