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Myers Inn One of Many Stagecoach Inns in Big Walnut Area |
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| Early roads in the Big Walnut Area followed
Indian trails and were difficult at best. The Mt. Vernon to Columbus road
was opened in 1810 along the Walhonding Indian Trail. In 1820 it took two
days to complete the journey via stagecoach thus Stagecoach Inns popped up
all along the routes. Most of them began as logcabins. Roads were
mud with logs laid over swampy places (corduroy roads) and the coaches had
hard tires with little springs. Often passengers suffered from
motion sickness and looked forward to a place to spend the night and enjoy
a meal before continuing the journey. Overnight stay was usually 25
cents for a spot in a bed with a meal for 15 to 20 cents. Hot baths
were also available for a fee.
Many establishments were known to exist in this area in the early 1800's. Rice's Tavern and Major Brown's hotel in Berkshire Corners, Blainey Inn in East Liberty, Starks House of Entertainment, Rt. 61 near Olive Green, Center Inn at 605 and Rt. 37, Curtiss Inn on Yankee Street below Galena, Dustin House in Galena, Hezekiah Roberts (or Rogers) had a log cabin inn (now 81 S. Columbus Street) in Sunbury. A half a block north, Lawrence Myers built the two story frame Myers Inn in 1820 and forced Roberts to take boarders. During the stagecoach days another hotel later called the Boyer Hotel was built on the sw corner of Columbus and Granville streets. The south half of that house is still at 63 1/2 S. Columbus Street. Others began to take in boarders and overnight residents as the
roads were opened. |
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. . . .And Now You Know
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| Return to Local History Index |
(02/28/2015 ) |
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