St. Charles was founded in 1769 by Louis Blanchette, then known as Les Petites Cotes (The Little Hills). In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark launched their famous journey from the settlement of St. Charles. In 1820, the Western House hostelry was built with an adjacent stable and wagon yard. The establishment was popular, though known as a rough place. In 1835, during the days of the covered wagon treks, it was a last chance place to care for oxen and wagons heading west. In the early 70's, the Historic District of St. Charles was in the first stages of restoration. We restored the Western House and built the gardenhouse. The gardenhouse was initially built as a working greenhouse for the sale of plants in the 'back to nature' mode of the time. The gardens on the property remain a priority and are the inspiration for the botanical theme of Garden Gallery.