The History of the Best Places to Stay in Kentucky

I was headed back out to Adsmore Home Museum for a history presentation last week. So, I needed a place to stay the night before, because Princeton is a 3-hour drive from my home. Several months ago, I searched the area for a Bed & Breakfast. I was thrilled to come upon The Red Brick Inn, just 25 minutes from Adsmore. I reached out to the owners and asked if they would be interested in being added to my Historic Places to Stay listing. They accepted my offer, so this past Monday, my mom and I drove out to Cadiz, KY, right on the edge of Lake Barkley, to check out the inn, its history, and to enjoy a night’s stay.

I was excited to find a bit of historical information on-site, and of course, I’ve done my own digging. So, without further ado, here’s the history of the Canton Hotel, a.k.a. The Red Brick Inn!

Abraham Boyd (1765 – 1839)

Abraham Boyd was born on October 1, 1765, in Bedford County, Virginia, to James and Martha Burns Boyd. The Boyds, of Scottish descent, were early settlers in Virginia.¹ While little can be found on Abraham’s early years, we do know that he, along with his father, served in the Revolutionary War.²

“In quite early life he accompanied his father James Boyd, to South Carolina, where at the unripe age of sixteen, he entered the service of his country in the Revolutionary War, in company with his father and brother.”

Ernest Boyd, 1910³

Somewhere along the way, Abraham moved from South Carolina to present-day Tennessee, near Nashville.⁴ It was there that he married Nancy Agnes Linn (1773 -1839), daughter of Adam and Sydney Ann Ewing Linn, on April 1, 1794, in Davidson, Pickett, Tennessee.⁵ The couple is said to have had at least four sons and one daughter together: John Boyd, Linn Boyd, Alfred Boyd, Rufus Boyd, and Patsy Boyd.⁶ It was in Nashville that Abraham Boyd established himself as a successful businessman.

By 1792, Abraham, Nancy, and at least Nancy’s father made their way to Kentucky, in present-day Canton.

“We allude to the family of Abraham Boyd. …resident of Tennessee in the neighborhood of Nashville, a number of years, and removed thence to [Canton,] the point above stated. The trip must have been made in flat-boats, for there were no roads, and an old settler remarked that he assisted them in cutting a road through the cane from the river bank to the top of the hill for their wagons, and it took several days to complete it. He erected his first dwelling on the ground where the present church stands. His father-in-law, Adam Linn, accompanied him, and made a settlement three miles out from the river.”

History of Trigg County

He built his first “dwelling” across the street from today’s Red Brick Inn, becoming the founder of Canton, KY, originally known as Boyd’s Landing. Boyd and his party were the first white settlers in the area, and it was a perfect spot along the river for a shipping port. (Native groups had, of course, been on the land for thousands of years before Boyd’s arrival.) A horse-powered mill was erected shortly after his arrival, which he operated for around twenty years. He also constructed a warehouse and cotton gin, which became a thriving business. According to the National Register Nomination Form for The Red Brick Inn, “Boyd’s Landing achieved considerable prominence as a shipping point. Until the railroad entered the Clarksville area, more tobacco was shipped from Boyd’s Landing than from any other point on the Cumberland River.”⁷

“Both Canton and Nashville only had around 2,000 residents at the time. Steamboats would often travel from Nashville and passengers would stay at the inn when cargo needed to be unloaded.”

FOX 17

A Steamboat Stop

“Abraham Boyd was a man of remarkably fine intellect, and for that day a man of considerable culture.”⁸ It must have been that fine intellect that led Abraham to build a 3,234 square-foot federal-style inn on the hillside along the Cumberland River. Construction began in 1798 and was completed around 1804.⁹ The inn was built of brick fired on the property. Exterior and interior walls are all 18″ thick or 3-bricks-deep, so you can imagine it took just a wee bit of time to build the structure. The design was meant to tell travelers that the inn was “stable, respectable, and meant to last.”¹⁰

Built like a home, the inn included a main entry hall and a turned staircase to the second floor. There were two rooms to the left of the hall and two to the right, for a total of eight rooms in the inn.

Since the two front rooms facing the street also have exterior doors, I believe they were social spaces, just as they are today. There would have been a need for a dining space as travelers stopped for a meal, and a parlour room where guests would have gathered to share news brought from afar. The remainder of the rooms were likely all used for travelers, and multiple people would have stayed in one room, even if they didn’t know one another. That was the way of traveling in the early 1800s and out on the frontier.

Abraham’s Influence

Abraham Boyd played a leading role in the early growth of the community. He is often considered the Founder of Trigg County. It was “because of his successful efforts” that Trigg County was formed from Christian County in 1820. He represented Christian County as a Kentucky Legislator from 1810 to 1820, and then represented Trigg County through 1827.¹¹ He was one of the first magistrates, or justices of the peace, when Trigg County was formed in 1820.¹²

Abraham Boyd “also served as one of the county commissioners to supervise the construction of the courthouse in 1821. He previously supervised the construction of the jail in 1820 and during 1818-1819 served as a commissioner to supervise the building of a bridge.”

National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form

It was on June 23, 1823, that Abraham renamed his “tiny blufftop hamlet”¹³ Canton. His inn was also renamed the Canton Hotel.

Famous Hotel Visitors

Stories are told that frontiersman Davy Crockett visited the inn, along with outlaw Jesse James, after his horse threw a shoe, and Al Capone, who flew down from Chicago to claim some moonshine.

Due to the Trigg County Courthouse burning, not once, not twice, but three times in 1864, 1892, and 1920, documents proving the visitors of the Canton Hotel are nearly impossible to locate. So, we’ll probably never know for sure if Crockett, James, or Capone actually stopped in for a visit at the Canton Inn. While those visitors may not be able to be proven, there are a few visitors who have been proven. (Personally, I think these proven visitors beat all of the above-mentioned possibilities.)

First, the inn welcomed the Marquis de Lafayette when he came down from St. Louis by steamboat in May of 1825 as part of his Farewell Tour. A party was thrown in his honor at the inn. Next, the Swedish nightingale, Jenny Lind, sang from the balcony of the hotel when she traveled through Kentucky in the Spring of 1851.¹⁵ Lastly, the inn was visited by U.S. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Andrew Jackson, and James K. Polk. Polk had numerous meetings with Linn Boyd, Speaker of the House, at the hotel.¹⁶

Now, tell me that list of proven visitors doesn’t beat the unproven?!? Jenny Lind and the Marquis de Lafayette? Seriously! Those two would be at the top of my “Dead People I’d love to Have Dinner With” list.

Because of these confirmed visitors, the Red Brick Inn has rooms dedicated to Jenny Lind, the Marquis de Lafayette, and James K. Polk. On the night of our visit, my mom stayed in the Marquis de Lafayette Room, and I stayed in the Jenny Lind Room. Each room is planned down to the smallest of details and is intended to “tell a story of the history, and the interiors are thoughtfully designed to nod to the past and the stories in the walls.”¹⁷ Check out the photos! You’ll have to agree that the details in this inn are absolutely incredible and so very well thought out. Take a look.

The Jenny Lind Room

Interior photos of the Jenny Lind Room / Photos property of KHT

This room absolutely made my heart sing, which seems quite appropriate as I was staying in the Jenny Lind Room, dedicated to the Swedish Nightingale. The Jenny Lind bed just made my day, because I had written about Jenny Lind in a post just a few months before and had learned of Jenny-Mania and the furniture that was named in her honor. I had only seen the Jenny Lind bed in photos, and here I was looking at one for the first time! Once I really began looking for details, I noticed the images of her hung in the room, the books on the mantle (all about Jenny Lind or P.T. Barnum, who set up her US tour), the gold touches (elegant like Jenny Lind was said to be, from the Kleenex box to the toilet paper cover, the gold bathroom fixtures to the gold curtain curtain brackets). Then, there were the golden harp pieces on the hearth, the images of songbirds, the birdcage shelving, and the lamp. Seriously, every detail was so thought out and so well executed. The dark floors didn’t stop this room from feeling light, airy, and feminine.

The Marquis de Lafayette Room

Interior photos of the Marquis de Lafayette Room / Photos property of KHT

The Marquis’ room is equally detailed, but opposite to the light and feminine Lind Room. As you can see from the photos, the Marquis’ room is masculine and heavy in dark woods and gold French accents. I don’t believe the natural wood beams are original to the room, but they are a fantastic accent to the theme and style of the room. The mantle is a gorgeous addition with its dark wood tones and gold lion accents. The head and footboard, along with the height of the bed, demand attention as I can imagine Lafayette would do when he walked into a room. The porcelain plates to the left and right of the bed are from a limited-edition series called Lafayette Legacy Collection. They were produced in the 1970s by Henri d’Arceau & Fils in Limoges, France, to commemorate the Bicentennial of the American Revolution. Seven plates were in the original set, and each included a different picture depicting the friendship between Lafayette and General George Washington. I recognized these plates automatically, because I happen to have three of the plates myself! Of course, the room wouldn’t be complete without a large dark-stained armoire that matches the bed and a portrait of Lafayette over the mantle. The room feels regal, warm, and comfortable all at the same time.

The other two rooms in the 5-bedroom inn are the Steamboat Room and the Garden Room. On the night of our stay, the Garden Room was unoccupied, so we were allowed to see that room as well.

Additional Historical Facts

• Federal Census and Slave Record lists Abraham Boyd owning seven enslaved individuals in 1820 and eleven by 1830.¹⁸

• The inn’s basement tavern was originally a Prohibition-era speakeasy¹⁹ and the basement adjacent to the tavern was Trigg County’s very first jail.

• The Canton Hotel ceased functioning as an inn in 1932. It had been run by the Futrells from 1897 until 1932.
• The inn then passed through numerous hands, serving as a personal residence and possibly as a school along the way. The inn became a Bed & Breakfast in 2023. Current owners Joey, Allison, and Linda purchased the property on June 30th of that year and officially opened on Labor Day weekend. Boyd’s Tavern opened later that year, on November 11, after receiving its Historic Liquor License.

Our Visit…

We pulled right up to the Red Brick Inn and followed the directions that Allison had texted to me earlier in the day. As we found our way to the back gate, the patio, and then the back door, we were greeted by Linda, Allison’s mother, who was our innkeeper for our stay. She introduced herself and ushered us into the inn. Linda was so personable and energetic that she jumped right in and gave us a tour. We started on the first floor, hearing the history of the inn, the story of the mural, and a little information about coffee, tea, and our morning breakfast. We were then led upstairs to our rooms. That’s when Linda also showed us the Garden Room, since no one was staying there that evening. We also had the opportunity to walk the 2nd-floor balcony/wrap-around porch. Linda then told us more about the visitors to the inn, how she and her daughter and son-in-law came to own the property, and the reopening of the Prohibition-era Speakeasy that is in the basement, now named Boyd’s Tavern.

After a long, 3.5-hour drive, we really were quite hungry, so Linda directed us to the tavern and recommended we try the pizza. My mom and I settled our things into our rooms and headed for dinner.

The tavern was easy to find. Take a left out of the back door, take a left off of the patio, walk to the front of the building, take a left, and you’re there! I’m fairly certain my mom was as surprised as I was by the tavern’s tiny size. Not only was the ceiling low, but the room barely fit the bar and maybe six two-top tables. While it was small, it didn’t feel crowded. Instead, it felt friendly and cozy. We were warmly greeted by the bartender and waitress on duty. We placed our drink order from the menu of deliciously themed drinks and turned our attention to deciding on dinner. With perfect timing, our drinks were delivered to our table just as we had agreed on what we wanted to eat.

We decided on the Hamfest Pizza, which included smokehouse bacon, ham, and sausage glazed in sweet Kentucky bourbon, and the Bourbon Bacon Sweet Fries. We chatted about our delicious drinks and were entertained by the game of Singo being played by others at the bar while we waited for our food. Our food was ready for pick-up in a short amount of time. I picked up our food from the food truck out by the patio and returned to our table. (I had seriously wondered where they were fitting a restaurant kitchen! I hadn’t noticed the food truck out back.) Starving, we both jumped into the sweet potato fries! BOY! They were incredible! They were cooked perfectly, and the bourbon bacon and bourbon sauce were to die for! Knowing how yummy the fries were, it was time to try the pizza. We were not disappointed. I turned to my mom and asked, “How is this coming from a food truck? This is delicious!” I have eaten so much pizza in my life, you wouldn’t think anyone could come up with anything original that would make me say WOW, but this pizza sure did! I promise you, it was truly yummy. It wasn’t just because we were starving. Everything was so delicious, we couldn’t stop talking about it.

Now, before I move on, I have to add that the Boyd’s Tavern food menu “offers weekly rotating specials made from fresh, local, and Amish-sourced ingredients”²⁰ and its drink menu includes local drafts, bourbons, wines, and craft cocktails that change seasonally. (My mother and I both thoroughly enjoyed our drinks as well!) How incredibly cool is it that the owners not only care for such a unique piece of Kentucky’s history, but they also support local farmers, local distilleries, and other local businesses? I’m telling ‘ya! Everywhere I go, I find the nicest people… EVER!

We wrapped up dinner and decided to take a few minutes to explore the patio and gardens behind the home. The sun was nearly gone, so the lights around the garden gave off a wonderful glow. The wind was blowing just enough to gently move the windchimes, and the crickets and frogs were playing us a special tune. It was so very peaceful and serene. I really didn’t want to go inside, but it was getting really late, and we had had a long day and an early start the next morning. We headed inside and turned in for the night.

The next morning, I was up quite early. Breakfast was served until 9 AM, so we decided to be ready by 8:15. I slept so well, I really didn’t want to get out of bed, but I headed for the shower (the water was quick to get warm, and the pressure was perfect), and managed to meet my mom in the hallway just before 8:15.

We headed downstairs to enjoy the beauty of the inn in the morning light. (As you know, morning and evening light are just so different!) I took a few more photos and then met Linda in the dining room. The table was set so beautifully, and the smell of bacon and eggs filled the air. We helped ourselves to orange juice, coffee or tea, yogurt and fresh berries, hash brown casserole, bacon, and an egg dish that I can’t remember the name of! (Can you tell I’m NOT the cook in my house? 🤣) Everything was so wonderful, I had to help myself twice!

Since the others who had stayed the night at the inn had already enjoyed breakfast by the time we arrived, Linda took extra time with us. We talked more about the history of the home and the wonderful things her daughter and son-in-law are doing with the inn. Chatting with Linda was like catching up with an old friend.

We finished up breakfast with enough time to see the gardens in the morning light and take a few morning photos of the inn. We gathered our things from our rooms, took the traditional selfie out front, and bid The Red Brick Inn adieu. It had been a fantastic stay, and we again had memories to last a lifetime.

All Photos are the property of Kentucky Historic Travels (KHT) unless otherwise noted.

& Reflection

As one of the oldest surviving structures in Western Kentucky, this B&B stands out in its own unique way. Add Joey and Allison’s touches, and Linda’s good cooking and outgoing personality, and you’ll see why their slogan is “Timeless Charm, Authentic Character, Warm Hospitality. Always.”

I honestly can’t say enough great things about the history of the inn, the comfortable rooms, the food, and the hospitality that you will find at The Red Brick Inn. I would love to spend a weekend renting a boat on Lake Barkley for the day with my family and spending the evening together at the inn. I think that sounds absolutely lovely, don’t you?!?

In the meantime, I hope you’ll think about visiting sometime. It’s a long drive from our neck of the woods, but totally worth it in my opinion. So, go on! Get out and see Kentucky and add a stay at The Red Brick Inn while you’re at it. Tell ’em KHT sent ‘ya!

Happy Travels!

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Resources:

1. Kleber, John E., “Boyd, Linn,” The Kentucky Encyclopedia, The University Press of Kentucky, 1992 ↩︎
2. Neel, Eurie Pearl Wilford, The Wilford-Williford Family Treks Into America, 1901, via Ancestry.com ↩︎
3. https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LRK2-P5D/abraham-boyd-1765-1839 ↩︎
4. “History of Trigg County,” Counties of Christian and Trigg, Kentucky: Historical and Biographical via Ancestry.com ↩︎
5. Family Search, Abraham Boyd, “Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950” ↩︎
6. Neel, Eurie Pearl Wilford, The Wilford-Williford Family Treks Into America, 1901, via Ancestry.com ↩︎
7. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/8cd48d99-4fb9-4f33-9887-7ba555e404d9 ↩︎
8. “History of Trigg County,” Counties of Christian and Trigg, Kentucky: Historical and Biographical via Ancestry.com ↩︎
9. Kentucky Tourism: https://www.kentuckytourism.com/explore/boyd-s-tavern-17129 ↩︎
10. Pamphlet available at The Read Brick Inn ↩︎
11. “The First Families of America,” The Compendium of American Genealogy, Vol. VI, via Ancestry.com ↩︎
12. Facebook, Trigg County Historical Society: https://www.facebook.com/TriggCoHistoricalSociety/posts/linn-boyd-was-the-son-of-abraham-boyd-abraham-was-the-founder-of-canton-and-was-/217752047718404/ ↩︎
13. Schlarb, Eric J., Henderson, A. Gwynn, and Pollack, David, “Something Unexpected: Investigating the 8,500-year-old Canton Site in Trigg County, Kentucky,” Heritage Spotlight, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (https://transportation.ky.gov/Archaeology/Documents/SPOTLIGHT%206%20with%203d.pdf) ↩︎
14. Kleber, John E., “Boyd, Linn,” The Kentucky Encyclopedia, The University Press of Kentucky, 1992 ↩︎
15. Pulley, Tracy, “Preserving History and Creating Hospitality: The Red Brick Inn,” Posh Magazine, March/April 2024 ↩︎
16. Year: 1830; Census Place: Canton, Trigg, Kentucky; Series: M19; Roll: 42; Page: 27; Family History Library Film: 0007821 via Ancestry.com ↩︎
17. Pamphlet available at The Red Brick Inn ↩︎
18. Year: 1830; Census Place: Canton, Trigg, Kentucky; Series: M19; Roll: 42; Page: 27; Family History Library Film: 0007821 via Ancestry.com ↩︎
19. Kentucky Tourism: https://www.kentuckytourism.com/explore/boyd-s-tavern-17129 ↩︎
20. “Boyd’s Tavern,” Kentucky Tourism ↩︎