Boone's Colonial Inn, St. Charles
May 2023
Williamsburg, Virginia isn’t the only place to dip into Colonial America. Hugging the Missouri River, St. Charles served as Missouri’s first state capital in the early 1800s. Here, Daniel Boone strolled its brick streets, Lewis and Clark launched their renowned journey and the drama of the Louisiana Purchase played out. Reflecting this notable era is the luxurious Boone’s Colonial Inn.
Purchased in 2006 by proprietors Venetia McEntire and her husband, Stephen Powell, the buildings were in substantial disrepair. In late 2008, after $650,000 in expenditures and more than 400 hours of sweat equity, the inn opened its doors. Historic preservation was of utmost importance. The couple retained the horse hair plaster walls and, when possible, mortise joints, hand-hewed log joists and other details were left exposed to showcase the original construction.
“Our goal is to preserve and share our history and our community in the best possible way,” says Stephen. “When guests come to stay at our inn, they’re immersed in history. And that’s very important to us.”
My husband and I checked into the Thomas Jefferson Suite, whose cozy porch entrance overlooked Frontier Park and the river. Original wide-plank floors, a Williamsburg color palette, high four-poster king bed and Colonial touches made us feel like 1800s-time travelers. That said, we still enjoyed 20th-century amenities—a jetted shower and tub, mini fridge, flat screen TV and Wi-Fi.
“We traveled extensively to Williamsburg and Jamestown for inspiration,” says Venetia. “Our rooms are themed around the Spanish and French governments of Saint Charles in the 18th and 19th centuries as well as the Louisiana Purchase. We’ve even had historian Ken Burns and author Stephen Ambrose as guests.”
In the morning, we walked Frontier Park’s section of the Katy Trail. The front door opens onto the National Historic District. Numerous restaurants, boutiques and museums, including the Lewis & Clark Boat House and Museum, lay just steps away. Across the street, the Missouri Artist’s Guild showcases the creativity of local and regional artists. I bought several items for one-of-a-kind gifts.
Dedication to Saint Charles history spans the generations. Venetia’s family ran Boone’s Lick Trail Inn for 35 years, and she started working there in the late 90s. Today, Stephen and Venetia operate this sister property just down the block.
“We were one of the first anchors in the historic district,” says Venetia. “We’ve been involved with historic preservation and active in the community for many years. It’s our passion.”
Visit BoonesColonialInn.com for more information.