Author Archive

The Empire House (c.1816) was built as a home for Daniel Brown, who for some fifty years operated a general store in part of the structure.  Brown, who later owned and captained steamboats on the Ohio, Mississippi, and Alabama Rivers, fitted the upper story of the house for the Masonic Lodge room.  The famous “Tippecanoe Club” of 1840 help meetings in the room.  It was also used for balls, other club meetings, church services, and a tavern under the proprietorship of Mr. A Rector.  Most notably, however, the house was used as a hotel by several different owners.  Colonel S. S. Scott operated as the “Commodore Perry Inn”.  In front of the hotel was a sign fifteen feet high painted with a portrait of commodore Perry, complete with uniform epaulets, sword, and cocked hat and the motto “Don’t Give up the Ship”.  Captain John W. Waggoner, who first ran the ferry and later the hotel, was the first captain of the first steamboat built in Rising Sun, “The Alpha”.

From 1885-1920, the Schroeder family operated the Empire house as a hotel and restaurant.  John George, Sr. and his wife, Emma ran the hotel and restaurant while all the Schroeder children assisted with serving, housekeeping, and general upkeep. In 1992 Steve and Karen Berger purchased the structure from a gentleman who used the home a a vacation retreat and apartment rental. They did extensive renovations and reopened as a hotel.

The current owner is Marsha Louden, a long time school teacher in Rising Sun.  She has reopened the restaurant in addition to keeping the hotel in operation.