The Richard Latham Family built a home a the base of Elkhart Hill in the 1820's
along a 300 year old Indian trail known as “Edward's
Trace”. The trail was later
used by fur traders and pioneers traveling from Peoria
and the Great Lakes region to St. Louis. Due to the volume of travelers
along this route,
the James Lathams converted their cabin into a tavern which became known as “The
Kentucky House”.
It provided meals and lodging to travels, one of which was Abraham Lincoln as
he rode the rural circuit as a lawyer. The site, located on the farm, is in
the process of an ongoing archaeological excavation. Numerous artifacts have
been recovered and cataloged by the Sangamo Archaeological Center, located
on the main street of Elkhart. Under The Prairie Archaeological Museum houses
the largest collection of pioneer artifacts in the Midwest.