Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation)
About this property
The Plainfield Halfway House is a historic building in Plainfield, Illinois. Plainfield was first settled in the 1820s by a group seeking to convert the local Pottawatomie to Christianity. Squire L. F. Arnold, the first postmaster of Plainfield, owned the tract of land on which the building stands. In 1834, he built a small building to serve as a post office and a stop for stagecoaches. The property was sold in 1836, and a two-story building was constructed adjacent to the original structure. This new structure operated as a tavern and inn. The inn earned its name by being halfway on the stagecoach line between Chicago and Ottawa. A year later, Dr. Erastus Wight became manager of the establishment, running it until his death in 1845. His son, Dr. Roderick Wight, took over from his father and purchased the building in 1850. He added a one-story addition to the back of the inn later that year. The inn's large size made it an ideal site to conduct town affairs. It was used as a meeting hall in its early years and became the main location for Plainfield social events. The Plainfield Light Artillery used the building as a headquarters from 1856 until the Civil War. The building ceased to function as an inn starting in 1886, and was converted into a private residence. It was home to the descendants of the Wight family until 1956. The original building that served stagecoach passengers was demolished in the 1940s. The remaining building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 29, 1980.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation)
This page lists Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation). A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation) listed on the National Register?
Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 28, 1980.
What type of historic resource is Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation)?
Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation) is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation)?
The period of significance for Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation) is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation)?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation) will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Will County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Will County.
Explore WillCounty ›More historic places in Illinois
Browse all historic places in Illinois.
View Illinoishistoric sites ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation) will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.