Hill+Cottage+Tavern

Hill Cottage Tavern was built by John L. Hovey. The building was named by Gerry Bates, who also was the one who had the idea of building the tavern in the first place. The tavern was a gathering place and an inn. In 1845 the town was named after the tavern, Cottage Hill.

In 1843, the Hill Cottage Tavern was built at the current intersection of Cottage Hill Avenue and St. Charles Road. This building became a stagecoach stop between Chicago and Fox River Valley.

The Hill Cottage Tavern is now located at 313 S. York Street. The Hill Cottage Tavern is the oldest home in Elmhurst, Illinois.

Gerry Bates claimed eighty acres of land in 1842, and then asked his brother in law, Darius A. Hovey, if he could build the Hill Cottage Tavern on the eighty acres he had claimed. The Hill Cottage Tavern was named after his old house in Ohio, the Hill House.

The town was named after the Hill Cottage Tavern. The town name was Hill Cottage, but after the post office was established the town changed its name to Cottage Hill because there were too many other towns that’s name started with Hill. After that the towns name changed to Elmhurst because Thomas B. Bryan planted many trees in the town.