The oldest home in Carmi, built 1814, containing historic furnishings of the Robinson, Stewart, Webb and Hay families. All artifacts were owned by Mary Jane Robison Stewart, who donated them and the house to the historical society in 1966.
All of the home's furnishings, many of which date to the 1830s, were also given to the society, including a desk originally used in the Ratcliff at which Lincoln might have worked during his stay at the Inn, and a silver drinking cup which Lincoln used as he accompanied little Patty Webb of Carmi to Mt. Carmel on the stage coach trip north.
This building has been getting lots of work the last few years, such as painting the exterior and fence, removing the crumbling rug in the parlor and reupholstering one of the sets of parlor furnishings. The building got a new roof in June 2003, using donated funds and discounted labor and materials. In June, 2002 the society hosted several members of the family of William Stewart, a revolutionary war veteran and ancestor of Miss Mary Jane. We determined that the silver-topped cane in one of the display cases is the same one that William had in the photo taken shortly before his 1856 death. I give several tours of the building each year, and have even started wearing Victorian clothing during special events.
to preserve and protect white county's history