I was looking at small populated towns in Illinois and Elizabethtown was one of them.  This tiny town of 300 has the oldest hotel in Illinois; The Historic Rose Hotel.

Elizabethtown seems to be a forgotten town in Southern Illinois that not a lot of people know about - I didn't.  If you do know this city well, you definitely have heard of The Historic Rose Hotel.  It was originally ran as a tavern and boarding house, but now stands as one of the OLDEST hotels in existence!

THE HISTORIC ROSE HOTEL

The Historic Rose Hotel has been the resting spot for many travelers over the last 200 years. With its graceful 19th century beauty this hotel is a peaceful reminder of a world that used to be.

Since 1812, it has been overlooking the Ohio River and there's even stories you can find around the hotel itself.  There's a sign on the side of the building that marks the beginning of the early trail traveled by Anna Bixby; a mid-wife and herb doctor.

SightSeeingSally - Youtube
SightSeeingSally - Youtube
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Underneath that, the hotel management wants visitors to know the Rose Hotel is, IN FACT, on the National Register Of Historic Places.  WOW!  That's super cool.

Being built in 1812 and STILL operating today, I only assumed it was on some sort of list that went down in history.

SightSeeingSally - Youtube
SightSeeingSally - Youtube
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If you stay at the hotel, you'll find a gazebo that sits on a small cliff and has breathtaking views of the lake behind it.  I could sit here all day!

You can rent this space for wedding venues and celebrations, too.

Obviously times have changed since they opened, but The Historic Rose Hotel now has modern amenities and services to accommodate to all guests.

Once you step foot inside this hotel (now Airbnb), you'll be taken back to a time where everything was... simpler.  It'll feel like you're back in the 1800's.

If you love history and learning about a town's background, Elizabethtown is the place to visit!  People travel from all over the country to visit this tiny town every year and from the sounds of it, everybody has enjoyed every minute of it.

SightSeeingSally - youtube
SightSeeingSally - youtube
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To see the 4 rooms inside this hotel, you can checkout the Airbnbs they have listed!  The rooms are beautiful, themed, and have so much character.  Check them out:

Sarah's RoomCharlotte's RoomMammy Rose's Room, & Elizabeth's Room.

Here's some more history on the entire town, plus the hotel itself:

PHOTOS INSIDE ABANDONED RETRO ILLINOIS DINER

Eight of the Craziest Airbnb Homes in Illinois You Can Rent Today

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