Ohio’s longest operating business boasts historic charm while adapting to new generations.
Aspirin, paper clips, jello, and crossword puzzles–-these are all things invented after the Golden Lamb.
Since 1803, the Golden Lamb Restaurant & Hotel has been a gathering place for the Lebanon, Ohio community. Crowned Ohio’s longest operating business, the Golden Lamb has evolved over the course of two centuries into the cherished historic landmark it is today.
In the early 1800s, founder Jonas Seaman procured a $4 license to start an entertainment establishment in the newly formed town. The hotel and restaurant combo got its name from the golden lamb painted on a sign above the entrance. For years, the symbol was used by travelers far and wide to identify the business.
The 220-year-old restaurant boasts charm and elegance by staying true to its original colonial architecture. The building stands proudly on Broadway Street, sharing an intersection with the courthouse and public library. Over the years, the Golden Lamb was one of many taverns and inns in the area. After a third story was added in 1844, it became the city’s premier hotel, standing tall in the heart of downtown Lebanon. As customers made their way into the city, the brick building adorned with stark white pillars signified to them that the Golden Lamb was just a stone’s throw away.
The Golden Lamb is located nearly halfway between Cincinnati and the National Road (Route 40). According to the historian of the Golden Lamb, John Zimkus, this made it a convenient stop for many travelers on their journeys across the country.
“It was the place to stay when visiting Lebanon,” Zimkus says. “It was the perfect place to stop for those traveling both by river and by land, and going east or west.”
Throughout the years, the Golden Lamb has been able to preserve its charm and history. This is largely due to its furnishings. In 1928, a fire devoured the upper stories of the establishment. After fixing the damage, owners Robert and Virginia Jones couldn’t afford new furniture, so they bought second-hand Shaker pieces, made by an offshoot group of the English church, to replenish what was lost. Hannah Carver, media director for the Golden Lamb, explains how these artifacts help preserve the Golden Lamb’s long history.
“One of the biggest ways we stay true to our roots is the Shaker artifacts that you can find throughout the property,” Carver says. “We also have several museum rooms on our upper floors in the hotel, and those are completely closed off. [It’s] really a testament to the decade of time that they preserve.” The Golden Lamb now has a vast collection of priceless Shaker furniture and artifacts, including rarities like trunks and documents.
The Golden Lamb prides itself on knowing what people like. According to Carver, it’s not only the comfort food and American fare that keeps people coming back. It’s also the quintessential Ohio touches, such as highlighting seasonal, fresh flavors. Ingredients are sourced from local partnerships when they are not grown at the Golden Lamb’s farm. “The Golden Lamb has really taken farm-to-table to heart,” Carver says.
Adapting is part of the Golden Lamb’s nature. “There are so many generations of guests who have come and gone,” Carver says. “Any change that we make—whether that’s our menu, whether that’s a renovation—we really try to stay true to our roots…The goal is for it to be there another 215+ years.”
