Welcome, Traveler, Wayfarer and Refined Persons
Greetings and Salutations. We at the Historic Red Rooster Inn welcome all travelers, wayfarers, and refined persons with uncommon lodging, food, beer, and spirits.
How did we get here? Well, that’s a story. Pull up a bar stool, grab a beer, and we shall tell you a tale…
Greetings and Salutations. We at the Historic Red Rooster Inn welcome all travelers, wayfarers, and refined persons with uncommon lodging, food, beer, and spirits.
How did we get here? Well, that’s a story. Pull up a bar stool, grab a beer, and we shall tell you a tale…
The Beginning
In 1825, the town of Hillsboro was two years old. People flocked to the newly founded county seat and John Rutledge opened up a tavern near the site of the first county courthouse. He built it in the style of an English style tavern/pub and called it “The Tiger Inn.” The sign that hung over the door pictured a large tiger on a white background. Right around the time a certain A. Lincoln was practicing law in this area, the Tiger Inn sold to James Hagee who renamed it the “Hagee House.” He and his family ran it until 1883 when the building and property were sold to Mrs. Mary Pollard who changed the name to the “City Hotel.”
In 1825, the town of Hillsboro was two years old. People flocked to the newly founded county seat and John Rutledge opened up a tavern near the site of the first county courthouse. He built it in the style of an English style tavern/pub and called it “The Tiger Inn.” The sign that hung over the door pictured a large tiger on a white background. Right around the time a certain A. Lincoln was practicing law in this area, the Tiger Inn sold to James Hagee who renamed it the “Hagee House.” He and his family ran it until 1883 when the building and property were sold to Mrs. Mary Pollard who changed the name to the “City Hotel.”
It Takes a Town
The coal mining boom hit Hillsboro at the later half of the 19th century. Money rolled into town via the New York Central Railroad which ran 13 trips a day from St. Louis to New York City. With many distinguished visitors coming through town, everyone realized the need for a high class hotel. In the spirit of civic pride that’s been a mark of Hillsboro’s history since the beginning, a corporation was created by prominent Hillsboro businessmen on January 8th, 1902. They offered shares at fifty dollars each that went on sale in September of that year. Sixty business leaders bought up to 320 shares to raise $16,000 which is more than half a million in today’s money. Construction began when the tradesmen divided the old wooden frame building and sold it for private homes which are still standing on Jefferson and Summer streets. The shareholders leased the hotel to William McDavid who would run it for the next ten years. On November 21 1902, McDavid opened the now christened, “Hillsboro Hotel” with a timeless ceremony attended by the elite of Hillsboro. They offered toasts, ate, and listened to music. If you look closely at the lobby staircase, you can see the original carved “HH” on the anchor post. At some point, it was realized the new building wasn’t large enough. So, they started the first addition in early 1903 on the west side of the building which is now our hotel wing. The original hotel advertisement read “A Completely Modern House with All the Latest Accommodations for the Traveling Public.” Some of the featured innovations included electric overhead lighting (a new idea in rural America), gas lighting and a radiator system driven by the Hillsboro City boiler located on Broad Street. This system was eventually replaced with a private boiler that worked until 2017.
The coal mining boom hit Hillsboro at the later half of the 19th century. Money rolled into town via the New York Central Railroad which ran 13 trips a day from St. Louis to New York City. With many distinguished visitors coming through town, everyone realized the need for a high class hotel. In the spirit of civic pride that’s been a mark of Hillsboro’s history since the beginning, a corporation was created by prominent Hillsboro businessmen on January 8th, 1902. They offered shares at fifty dollars each that went on sale in September of that year. Sixty business leaders bought up to 320 shares to raise $16,000 which is more than half a million in today’s money. Construction began when the tradesmen divided the old wooden frame building and sold it for private homes which are still standing on Jefferson and Summer streets. The shareholders leased the hotel to William McDavid who would run it for the next ten years. On November 21 1902, McDavid opened the now christened, “Hillsboro Hotel” with a timeless ceremony attended by the elite of Hillsboro. They offered toasts, ate, and listened to music. If you look closely at the lobby staircase, you can see the original carved “HH” on the anchor post. At some point, it was realized the new building wasn’t large enough. So, they started the first addition in early 1903 on the west side of the building which is now our hotel wing. The original hotel advertisement read “A Completely Modern House with All the Latest Accommodations for the Traveling Public.” Some of the featured innovations included electric overhead lighting (a new idea in rural America), gas lighting and a radiator system driven by the Hillsboro City boiler located on Broad Street. This system was eventually replaced with a private boiler that worked until 2017.
Yes, Virginia, There is a Red Rooster
Mrs. Otillia (Tillie) Briton and her children, Herbert and Stella bought the hotel from the original shareholders in 1912 after they sold their bakery in Jerseyville. It would be the start of a family ownership that would last until 1983. They started renovations by adding a southwest front addition in 1913 after procuring a $10,000 loan from George Dunn and Jacob Frey. The family used this as a private residence. Mary Virginia Britton Imle (known as Virginia) was born to Herbert and his wife at the hotel. She grew up learning how to run the establishment and took over operations in the 1940’s. Virginia would give the Rooster its current shape and would become one of the key figures of our history. In 1956, she opened an English Pub style restaurant in the basement and renamed the whole establishment “The Red Rooster Inn.” She made the hotel and restaurant a vital center of town life until it closed shortly before her death in 1983. Over the next thirty years, the Rooster would see a variety of owners and renovations. In 1984, William York of Vandalia bought the building and began renovations completed by new proprietors Earl and Bert Williams and Tom and Mary Frances Paulding. On November 21, 1987, the anniversary of the original dedication, they celebrated the renovations with a Grand Opening and continued to run the hotel for another 20 years. After that time it was briefly owned by the Mattioda family from California and then in 2011 it was purchased by the Pollard family of Hillsboro.
Mrs. Otillia (Tillie) Briton and her children, Herbert and Stella bought the hotel from the original shareholders in 1912 after they sold their bakery in Jerseyville. It would be the start of a family ownership that would last until 1983. They started renovations by adding a southwest front addition in 1913 after procuring a $10,000 loan from George Dunn and Jacob Frey. The family used this as a private residence. Mary Virginia Britton Imle (known as Virginia) was born to Herbert and his wife at the hotel. She grew up learning how to run the establishment and took over operations in the 1940’s. Virginia would give the Rooster its current shape and would become one of the key figures of our history. In 1956, she opened an English Pub style restaurant in the basement and renamed the whole establishment “The Red Rooster Inn.” She made the hotel and restaurant a vital center of town life until it closed shortly before her death in 1983. Over the next thirty years, the Rooster would see a variety of owners and renovations. In 1984, William York of Vandalia bought the building and began renovations completed by new proprietors Earl and Bert Williams and Tom and Mary Frances Paulding. On November 21, 1987, the anniversary of the original dedication, they celebrated the renovations with a Grand Opening and continued to run the hotel for another 20 years. After that time it was briefly owned by the Mattioda family from California and then in 2011 it was purchased by the Pollard family of Hillsboro.
New Beginning
Like many of the buildings in Hillsboro, the Red Rooster started to hit some hard times after 2011. In 2013, John and Kendra Wright moved back to Central Illinois after living on both coasts. They’d watched the beginning stages of Hillsboro’s transformation when they would visit family and wanted to be part of the revitalizing community life.
A few years after they moved, John and Kendra decided to be a part of the visionary townspeople that were remaking Main Street. They began a search for a building and looked at a number of different possibilities. Finally, in 2017, the Wrights chose the Historic Red Rooster Inn and decided to write the next chapter in its history. In 2018, they started a multi-million dollar restoration project that would include a hotel, residences, tap room, a brewery and a distillery. The Wright’s wanted to connect the Rooster’s past with the future they envisioned. They did so by making the Red Rooster a place where people came together for food, lodging, beer, spirits, and conversation- a true center for cultivating community in Hillsboro. In June 2023, the hotel and taproom opened and their vision became a reality. So, that’s our story so far. Keep listening to our tale, dear friends, the best parts are yet to come.
Like many of the buildings in Hillsboro, the Red Rooster started to hit some hard times after 2011. In 2013, John and Kendra Wright moved back to Central Illinois after living on both coasts. They’d watched the beginning stages of Hillsboro’s transformation when they would visit family and wanted to be part of the revitalizing community life.
A few years after they moved, John and Kendra decided to be a part of the visionary townspeople that were remaking Main Street. They began a search for a building and looked at a number of different possibilities. Finally, in 2017, the Wrights chose the Historic Red Rooster Inn and decided to write the next chapter in its history. In 2018, they started a multi-million dollar restoration project that would include a hotel, residences, tap room, a brewery and a distillery. The Wright’s wanted to connect the Rooster’s past with the future they envisioned. They did so by making the Red Rooster a place where people came together for food, lodging, beer, spirits, and conversation- a true center for cultivating community in Hillsboro. In June 2023, the hotel and taproom opened and their vision became a reality. So, that’s our story so far. Keep listening to our tale, dear friends, the best parts are yet to come.