An Ohio Gem

Warren County Ohio is where I grew up. Just southeast of my home town is the county seat, Lebanon Ohio. Lebanon if more than just the county seat, it is home to one of Ohio’s treasures. The Golden Lamb is widely known for its vibrant history and the well-known guest who have stayed there. Located on South Broadway, the Golden Lamb sits at on one of the busiest intersections in town.

The Golden Lamb is the oldest still in operation Inn in Ohio. Built in 1803 by Jonas Seaman, the Golden Lamb soon became a stopping point for travelers due to its convenient location, half way between Cincinnati and the National Road (U.S. 40).  The name Golden Lamb stemmed from the picture of a lamb that was used in the Inn’s early days. Due to the high volume of pioneers and the lack of reading ability the Inn’s owner created a sign that could be easily recognized.

The original Inn was a two story structure and is the front portion of the current Inn. The current brick structure that the Inn resides was built in 1815 and in 1844 a third floor was added. A decade later the Inn kept growing as an entire three floor wing was added to the structure. As traffic for the Inn grew in 1878 due to the rail line coming through Lebanon a fourth floor was added to the structure to accommodate the rail workers. The final addition to the building came in 1964 when the gift shop and Black Horse Tavern were added to the current structure. In 1978 the Golden Lamb was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Golden Lamb is most famous for the visitors who have stayed there. Most notable guest are the 12 United State Presidents who have stayed there; William Henry Harrison, Benjamin Harrison, John Q. Adams, Martin Van Buren, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, Warren G. Harding, William Howard Taft, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush.

Other famous guests include some of literature’s greats like, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, and Harriet Beecher Stowe. With Lebanon being a mainly Republican area many current Republican Presidential candidates have stopped by to dine and tour the Inn, McCain and Romney both stopped by the Golden Lamb.

The Golden Lamb is a staple in Lebanon and in Warren County. Visitors can dine in the same rooms as U.S. Presidents, stay in the room that Mark Twain laid his head, and possibly meet some of the other guests that passed through the halls. The Golden Lamb truly is an Ohio Treasure.

 

The sources used for this blog:

The Golden Lamb Inn: www.goldenlamb.com/pages/history

Warren County Historical Society