Belleville Bed and Breakfast

Our B and B is located on 413 East Washington Street in Belleville IL 62220, just one block off Historic Belleville's Main Street featuring unique shops and restaurants, and it is adjacent to the Ever and Anon Park. Parking is behind the house or in the free public lot across the street.

The house's ground floor is barrier-free, with no steps to the property and house from the street. You walk into the living room with arched windows, and proceed to the dining room and kitchen. Also on the main floor is a large bedroom as well as a bathroom with walk-in shower and bidet toilet.

The upper floor has two bedrooms and a modern bathroom with shower, plus a bonus room with exercise equipment, daybed for extra guests, and a television set.

For your arrival, the kitchen will be stocked with snacks,  fruit, as well as with cold beverages, coffee and tea.

For reservations please visit our presence on AirBnB

The BnB is located within minutes walking to restaurants, museums, fitness studios accepting drop-ins, thrift store, hair salons, chiropractor, coffee shops, and other downtown Belleville venues and events.

A bus stop with connection to MetroLink is one short block away, the MetroLink station is about 7 min walking distance with connections from Scott AFB, to St. Louis, and to Lambert International Airport.

The MetroLink bike trail is easily accessed directly from the house by running/walking/riding through quiet neighbourhoods. Dogs need to be leashed on the trail.

Playground and disk golf are only a few blocks away at East End Park.

This 1866 historic home has been added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service in 1976, and it has been designated as Landmark house by the St. Clair County Historic Society the same year. The home features rounded Georgian windows and a Gothic revival pointed roof. It was built for Dr. Ferdinand Rubach shortly after his marriage to Sophie Maus. 

Ferdinand was the son of Augustus and Wilhelmina Schenck, the youngest daughter of President Schenck of the Duchy of Nassau, Germany. They were a wealthy family and emigrated to St. Clair County in 1843 to farm. When moving to Belleville in 1849, Augustus Rubach purchased a mercantile establishment (now Circa boutique at the corner of Main and South Jackson Streets). 

Ferdinand Rubach graduated from St. Louis Medical College and from the University of Würzburg, Germany. He also studied diseases of the eye in Berlin and was appointed United States Examining Surgeon in 1862.

Sometime between 1877 and 1884, 413 East Washington became a granny flat, when Wilhelmine Rubach moved into it as Ferdinand and his family moved into her old house at 411 East Washington.  

One of Ferdinand and Sophie’s  sons, Otto Rubach, became a well-known architect who designed the Belleville Library, the Bunsen School, and the Old Post Office in Belleville.

In 1905 the Rubachs sold both 411 East Washington and 413 East Washington to Carl Roesner.  He was a Catholic priest who had retired in 1903 due to ill health after an active pastorate of 27 years in Chester, Lively Oak, and Evansville, Illinois.  He moved into 411 East Washington with his adopted son, Ferdinand Roesner, who had been orphaned while Roesner was at Chester.  Father Roesner died in 1919.  Such was his reputation that Bishop Henry Althoff was the celebrant of the pontifical requiem.  He was assisted by 11 clerics.  Ferdinand Roesner inherited the property.   He  was a carpenter who lived at the 411 East Washington until his death in 1943.  

Catherine Daesch grew up at 411, where her parents resided from 1927 to 1935.  She married Robert Aufdenspring, who would become an industrial engineer.  They moved into 413 East Washington Street in 1937 and raised sons David and Michael in the house.  Robert died in 1963, while Catherine continued to reside here until she relocated in 1972.

The house had various owners until we bought the house in 2020 to restore it and turn it into a comfortable and unique Bed and Breakfast.