Clayville Tavern
Also known as: Clayville Stage Coach Stop
Why it's listed
Clayville Tavern is a two-story brick building of Federal style on Route 125 near Pleasant Plains, Illinois. Moses Broadwell built it about 1825 as a stop on the Beardstown-Springfield stagecoach road, with double galleries on the north and south sides. The bricks were handmade on the site, and the interior retains hand-hewn summer beams, walnut mantels, original flooring and a beehive oven. The tavern became the center of a small village that included a kiln, smithy, tanyard, store and school. Between 1832 and 1844 it served as a rallying point for the Whig party and supporters of Henry Clay, and Abraham Lincoln, who was lawyer for the Broadwell family, was a frequent guest. Railroads ended the stagecoach runs and the community declined. The building was bought privately in 1960 and restored as a public museum. Two moved log cabins, one dating to 1817 and one to 1846, and an 1860 barn stand nearby.
Significance in brief: The tavern was a stagecoach stop on the Beardstown-Springfield road and the nucleus of a small village. It became a rallying point for Whig supporters of Henry Clay between 1832 and 1844. The restored building is also an example of Federal-style architecture, representing a transitional period between pioneer cabins and later Springfield homes.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73000718, listed May 8, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 0.5 mi. SE of Pleasant Plains on IL 125, Pleasant Plains |
|---|---|
| County | Sangamon County |
| Listed | May 8, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000718 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1825) |
| Architect / builder | Moses Broadwell |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored to its 1844 condition after a 1960 private purchase; in excellent condition, unaltered, on its original site, and used as a museum and public place. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 39.87365, -89.89733 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73000718.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134584945
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.