The Osage Inn invites you back to a simpler time and place. Nestled on 100 acres of peaceful woodlands, meadows, and fields between Charleston and Mattoon, The Osage Inn offers the perfect home away from home when visiting the area. The Inn is a restored Civil War era hewn log house originally built approximately 150 years ago near the Osage River in south central Missouri. Innkeepers, Diane and Gary Cole, purchased the house in 1998 shortly before it was scheduled to be demolished. Diane and Gary dismantled the house and brought it back to a lovely meadow and woods setting near their home in central Illinois.
The old log house is truly a place to enjoy the peace and solitude and a time long ago forgotten. Even though the thought of no television scares a lot of guests, most find that they totally relax and find the time to enjoy wonderful conversations and share lots of memories and laughter with each other. Upstairs an old table is set up with a checkerboard, and numerous board games, cards, crayons, toys, old books, and a CD player and radio are furnished for our guests' enjoyment. Delectable home baked breads and pastries are provided for your breakfast at The Osage Inn.
Sit and relax on the rustic front porch in adirondack gliders or try out the old porch swing at sunset. Tucked into the far corner of the meadow under the big, old hickory tree is an arbor just perfect for that glass of wine at sunset or a morning mug of steaming coffee. Wander out to the arbor any time of the day or evening where a comfortable table and chairs await your visit. New to the Inn is wonderful, rustic firepit located out in the front meadow. Innkeepers keep firewood stacked nearby to provide a warm blaze to sit and watch and share old times. Watch the deer as they wander out into the meadow edge to feed. Delight in the sight of hawks soaring above the old log house or the sound of the Great Horned Owl calling from the trees. Explore the woods and revel in the native Illinois flora. Play softball in the meadow, throw a frisbee, or try your luck on the old stilts. While you are a guest at the old log house, you will be trying to figure out when you can come back again to visit.
