ler ▁Sam ▁C ul bert son ' s ▁▁ 1 8 3 5 ▁claim ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Fox ▁River ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 1 . ▁He ▁far med ▁whe at ▁( the ▁c ash ▁c rop ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s ), ▁corn , ▁hay , ▁o ats , ▁liv est ock , ▁and ▁da iry . ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Har ri et ▁( F rost ) ▁rem ode led ▁C ul bert son ' s ▁log ▁house ▁into ▁a ▁log ▁ta vern ▁or ▁inn . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 6 , ▁they ▁built ▁a ▁brick ▁house ▁serving ▁as ▁their ▁home ▁and ▁ta vern ▁to ▁serve ▁guests ▁travel ing ▁between ▁Chicago ▁and ▁the ▁Rock ▁River ▁Valley . ▁A ▁west bound ▁stage co ach ▁and ▁mail ▁coach ▁rout in ely ▁passed ▁the ▁ta vern ▁at ▁ 4 PM , ▁and ▁the ▁ta vern ▁provided ▁an ▁over night ▁rest ing ▁spot ▁for ▁travel ers ▁and ▁team sters ▁driving ▁whe at ▁to ▁the ▁Chicago ▁port . ▁The ▁Gar field ▁family ▁charged ▁each ▁travel er ▁ 3 7 ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁c ents ▁to ▁stay ▁the ▁night . ▁As ▁many ▁as ▁ 5 4 ▁guests ▁joined ▁the ▁family ▁of ▁ 9 ▁one ▁night ▁in ▁the ▁ 5 ▁room ▁log ▁ta vern ▁before ▁moving ▁into ▁the ▁brick ▁inn ▁several ▁months ▁later . ▁The ▁Gar field ▁Inn ▁also ▁became ▁a ▁popular ▁local ▁meeting ▁place , ▁holding ▁month ly ▁d ances ▁on ▁S atur days ▁on ▁the ▁second ▁floor ▁of ▁the ▁ta vern .