{"nrhp_refnum":"90001198","name":"Robinson-Bonnett Inn","other_names":["Bonnett Inn"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Whites Crossing Rd. E of Clary Cr.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Bobtown","county":"Menard County","state":"IL","lat":40.07538791800005,"lon":-89.98857213899998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1990-08-03","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Commerce","Transportation","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story, L-shaped brick inn on Whites Crossing Road in Bobtown, near Oakford, Menard County, Illinois, built around 1843 by John Bonnett for the Robinson family, founders of the settlement of Robinson's Mills.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the inn reflects early transportation, commerce and architecture in Illinois. It served customers of an early grist and saw mill and travelers between Springfield and Beardstown, and likely Lewistown. It is one of the few surviving early inns in Illinois and the only known remaining example in Menard County, with Federal and Greek Revival features.","narrative":"Built around 1843 by John Bonnett for the Robinson family, this two-story, L-shaped brick inn sits on Whites Crossing Road in Bobtown, about eight miles northwest of Petersburg. It is the only building left of the pioneer settlement once called Robinson's Mills, apart from a large barn across the road. The walls are 13 inches thick, made of soft red brick fired on the site. Federal and Greek Revival features include symmetrical windows, interior end chimneys, and a central doorway with sidelights and a transom. Inside, the plan has three large rooms per floor, a central hall, and four segmental-arched fireplaces. The inn served customers of the early mill and travelers on routes from Springfield to Beardstown and possibly Lewistown. It is described as one of the few early Illinois inns still standing, a family dwelling also used as a tavern, and the only known surviving example in Menard County. Once used as an inn, it is now a private home under rehabilitation.","period_of_significance":"1843-1872 (Transportation); 1843-1880 (Commerce); 1843 (Architecture)","architect_builder":"John Bonnett (builder)","architectural_style":"Early Republic - Federal; Mid 19th Century - Greek Revival","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Now a single dwelling; being rehabilitated by new owners at the time of nomination. Porches no longer remain.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:35.614831-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/17/8937/28893717/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_IL/90001198.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/90001198/1a892e4f12-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/90001198/1a892e4f12-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"Jim Roberts","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robinson-Bennett_Inn.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Jim Roberts</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robinson-Bennett_Inn.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/28893717","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robinson-Bonnett_Inn","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14688056"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/illinois/menard-county/robinson-bonnett-inn-90001198/"}