Victorian on Main - Fairfield, Illinois || A Hidden Gem in Southern Illinois
On our ultimate road trip, we took a stop off in Fairfield, Illinois. Sound random? Well, kind of.
When we lived in Sioux City, Iowa and would drive down South, we always stopped in Mount Vernon, Illinois. Fairfield is a small trek off the highway and down some fun country roads.
So we decided to flip the script and stay in Fairfield at the Victorian on Main. Check out the video…
THE HISTORY
The house was built in 1895 by Judge Jacob R. Creighton and his wife Lucretia. It was the first house in the area with indoor plumbing. Kind of cool, right?
Kathy, her husband, and daughter, Amy, purchased the home in 2005 and opened an antique store. After a few years of operating the store, the concrete stairs in the front collapsed under a UPS driver, and the store had to close. Due to health complications of Miss Kathy and her husband, the antique shop was never reopened. They decided to use it as their family home.
This was the case until the city of Fairfield did a feasibility study, and discovered the town was in desperate need of lodging. That started a family conversation, a massive renovation, and TADA! The Victorian on Main B&B was opened in July of 2019.
Everything inside has been redone from the plumbing to the electrical work. They’ve found an amazing way to preserve the history and the structure, while making it functional for 2020 living.
A 1907 postcard photo of the Victorian on Main
THE INN
The first floor of the Victorian is dedicated to the parlor, living area, dining room, kitchen, and library. Lots of fun nooks to explore.
The parlor is the perfect spot to sit and enjoy a chat in the morning or afternoon. The beautiful windows bring in all of the light you could want.
In the living area is where you’ll often find Miss Kathy. There’s a television and some comfy seats to crash into in the afternoon or evening.
Breakfast is served every morning in the dining room, buffet style. Miss Kathy makes it fresh each day, and always has something sweet, savory and delicious for you to enjoy.
The library is still a work in progress, but there are some books to read, and two very nice chairs to sit in while you do it. Jenni was especially stoked, because suspense novels abound in the library right now!
There’s a grand staircase right when you enter the front door that takes you up to the second floor. If you come in through the kitchen, just walk through the library and you can take the back staircase, which was Joanie B.’s favorite part. It makes you feel in-the-know, like this is your home.
On the second floor there are three guest rooms and Miss Kathy’s residence, the Rose Room. The largest of the rooms is a two-room suite connected by a Jack and Jill bathroom. But the most gorgeous room of all is the Garden Suite, but since we stayed in that room, we’ll talk more about it in the next section.
Just outside of the Garden Suite is a staircase to the third floor, where you’ll find three more bedrooms.
The Tower Room is like Rapunzel’s dream hideaway. It has beautiful floral wallpaper, a comfy bed, and it lets in amazing light. The bathroom, however, has the most interesting feature, which is a sink made from an old sewing machine.
Lily’s Hideaway is a room decorated in the most beautiful light blue paint and floral wallpaper. We couldn’t help but smile when we walked in. It’s simply gorgeous!
The final room on the third floor is called the Squirrel’s Nest, and we got to stay in this one as well. So boogie on down to read all about it.
GARDEN SUITE
The Garden Suite is massive. You walk in and you forget all concept of space and time, because the antiques are perfectly maintained. The bed is glorious. It’s a massive king with a beautiful iron frame, and the comfiest mattress. There’s a deck that overlooks the town, and you could basically have a party on it with how bit it is.
You feel almost as if you’ve exited 2020 all together, until you see the flat screen and discover the high-speed Wifi.
Jenni’s favorite part… the old telephone your greeted with when you come in. It feels like you should be able to pick it up and speak to the operator.
SQUIRREL’S NEST
This is definitely the quirkiest and most interesting room in the house.
It’s massive, with a beautiful living area complete with cozy couch and a flat screen TV. You also have a nice desk that faces the window, which was the perfect spot to sit and work for awhile.
Since it’s in what would have been an attic-like space, the roof was problematic during renovation. They knew where they wanted to put the bed, but just couldn’t figure out how to make it all work. That’s when one of the super stars working on the project came up with a brilliant idea that became the centerpiece of the entire room.
It’s a wooden tent, built to fit the structure of the roof, and the bed is just nestled inside. It’s so cozy and the most incredible thing we’ve ever seen!
The B&B uses amazing STEAM products for the bathroom, which we found heavenly. And, just in case you’re a tall person like Scott (one of the owners), he’s got you covered. All of the rooms have stools you can sit on while you’re at the sink. No more neck straining.
BREAKFAST
Breakfast at the Victorian is different every morning.
It’s served buffet style in the dining room at an agreed upon time by guests staying at the B&B. It’s always fresh and made with love by Miss Kathy. Plus it’s delicious!
Make sure you ask about the secret behind the yummy meat. It may surprise you.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The only thing we can say is WOW. We loved our time at the Victorian on Main, and we can’t wait to go back again and soak up all of the hospitality they offer. We felt like family, and there is no feeling more beautiful than that.
A very special thank you to Scott, Amy, Miss Kathy, and the whole gang for allowing us to come in and feature your amazing B+B. We’re excited to return to Fairfield this summer.
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The Victorian on Main may be the best bed and breakfast in Illinois.