1820 Colonel Benjamin Stephenson House

This is a wonderfully restored historic home. We have participated in the Christmas candlelight tours, many field trips with my children, as well as guided tours during regular hours. With every visit, I took something else away that I didn’t know before. I highly recommend a visit.

Edwardsville has a beautifully restored / preserved home, the 1820 Colonel Benjamin Stephenson house, with an excellent docent-led tour. The family has an interesting history reflected in the (comparative) opulence of this pre-civil war frontier home. The decor, furniture and fixtures have been collected to accurately reflect the home of this period. In addition to the docents (in period costume), there were two young girls demonstrating typical household skills -- candle making, milling corn meal, grinding sugar, and baking corn bread. Superb! Note there is an admission fee, but its well worth it.

One of the most, if not the most, fascinating house museum in the area. Most home museums have a modernly dressed guide who will walk you through the house while sharing its history. That is interesting sure but at the Stephenson House they have guides in historical dress as well as a fire going on in the kitchen with historical dressed docents cooking in their hearth. Where else can you see such a thing in person anymore? Its hard to get this experience without traveling to Williamsburg!

Very good .tour. Docent most knowledgeable of the home and period and really get a feel for the time and the family.

We went for a girl scout event. It was fantastic and my daughter would love to go back. It was a hands on reenactment of the past. Girls learned to make bread, play games, dress, and dance from 1820. They also learned to write with a quill.It was an experience she will remember for a long time.

We were made very welcome to this wonderfully restored home by tour guides (RoxAnn and Jeffrey). Not only were they very knowledgeable and gracious, but they also encouraged questions and made us feel more like guests being welcomed into their home rather than employees just going through the motions of giving memorized presentations (as has been my experience at some other historical sites). The accurate period clothing that they wore was wonderful as well. We look forward to going again.

Very nice tour back thru history, tpur is only 6.00 per person, lasts about 1 and 1/2, hes very nice.

Wonderful historic site.

The person that tells the stories has a really good memory

Wonderful costumes and volunteers

Very hands-on. Educational but also interactive.

The tours are interesting and the docents are very well informed. I would recommend that everyone visit this jewel in our midst for an accurate picture of life in the 1820s.

A nice little step into the past! The tour guides were amazing, and very patient with our 4 & 5 year olds! It was a family field trip for sure!

Fun and informative.

Its an awesome place to learn about the past. It tells you great information about things that you cant get anywhere else!

Every time my kids get the letter saying they are going to the Stephenson house I sign up... I absolutely love the docents there and learn something new every time!!! I have been 3 times so far !

Great historic site! Highly recommended for the family!

Very knowledgeable! Awesome learning experience!

Very historical place

Great place!!!

Love this hands-on museum!!