Ohio's Oldest Continuous Business

“Business had come and gone, presidents and heads of state had changed innumerable times, boundaries had changed, even names of countries, but [the Golden Lamb was] still there” (p. 164).

The Book

Author Fred Compton worked at the Golden Lamb for twenty-eight years and introduces the reader to a world of American history and antiques. The Golden Lamb was originally built as a one-story log tavern in 1803. Since then, it has grown into a four-story brick structure that serves as a hotel and restaurant.

The Golden Lamb is more than a business, it is a hands-on museum full of antique and Shaker furniture that is in daily use. Compton singles out specific pieces that are legendary to regular guests and customers. He regales the reader with stories about Christmas preparations, menus, and famous guests. Each of the hotel rooms are named for a specific guest that visited the Golden Lamb: from Charles Dickens and Harriet Beecher Stowe to 12 different presidents (from William Henry Harrison to George W. Bush).

The Golden Lamb: Tales from the Innside is organized topically, as opposed to chronologically. For someone looking for a specific history, this can be confusing. However, this organization works for a coffee table book and the story telling style Compton uses. The reader feels like she is having a conversation with Compton, hearing what memories pop into his mind. This makes for easy and fast reading. As a reader, I would have liked to have seen more photographs and a bit more history included to help bolster the stories.

The Place
The Golden Lamb offers several ways to walk in the footsteps of history. Visitors to Lebanon, OH can stay overnight in one of the rooms named for distinguished guests, dine in the restaurant, or explore the gift shop.

When I visited, I was able to simply explore the floors of the Golden Lamb. A tour of the building allows you to see the various rooms, collection of Shaker furniture, and other antique pieces. In addition to the restaurant housed in the Golden Lamb, there is also an old-fashioned ice cream parlor across the street- The Village Parlor. For visitors interesting in shopping, downtown Lebanon provides several antique and boutique shops to browse.