Green Tree Inn Shares New Ownership Story
The Green Tree Inn is part of Megan Cunningham and Calvin Wiley’s effort to promote tourism in Elsah. Discover the personal story behind their ownership and what they hope visitors will appreciate.
Green Tree Inn of Elsah on Fall Tourism, Events and Exploring the River Road
ELSAH - The Green Tree Inn in Elsah has a unique story behind its new ownership. Married innkeepers Megan Cunningham and Calvin Wiley hope to bring in new visitors to Elsah.
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Cunningham and Wiley didn’t anticipate buying the Green Tree Inn, but when the opportunity arose, they couldn’t deny that it just felt right. One year into their journey, they are pleased to announce that the bed-and-breakfast is thriving and eager to host you and your loved ones for visits, events and more.
“Owning a bed-and-breakfast has always been something that was a dream of mine,” Cunningham said. “But buying a bed-and-breakfast was not even on the horizon for either of us.”
Cunningham and Wiley are both from California, but they met in St. Louis at a trivia night. A few years later, they were looking for a house to move into and had stopped by Elsah for lunch. Out of curiosity, they hopped on Zillow to check out local listings and saw the Green Tree Inn was for sale.
While Cunningham had always wanted to run a bed-and-breakfast, it wasn’t a path she intended to follow anytime soon. But as they read through the Zillow listing and met with the owners of the inn, it became less of a “joke” and more of a real opportunity for the couple. Three weeks later, they made an offer.
“Something about Elsah kind of draws people in,” Wiley explained. “Most people who live there have some kind of similar story where they hadn’t intended to be there, but something told them that was the right next step for them.”
Since buying the inn, Wiley and Cunningham have stayed busy. They hope to draw in more visitors and guests.
They recently remodeled the outdoor space. They installed a firepit and planted plenty of flowers and shrubs after updating their “gorgeous” pavilion.
The work has paid off, as they recently hosted their first microwedding in the pavilion overlooking the fall colors. The couple hopes to welcome more people and groups to the inn in the coming months.
They noted that Elsah and the River Road are notorious for their autumn leaves and bald eagles, making the period from now through the winter a great time to visit. Cunningham and Wiley are determined to promote Elsah and bring tourism to the area.
“One of our longer-term goals is to increase visitation and appreciation of Elsah as a township,” Cunningham said. “Elsah is on the national historic registry. The historic Elsah loop is not very big. There’s about 80 people who live in that part of Elsah. But we’re all very proud of where we live. You kind of have to be, to live in a historic place and be a steward of the history of that town. All of our neighbors are pretty invested in making Elsah a beautiful place for people to come. We try to promote tourism as much as possible.”
Tourists or locals who want a staycation are invited to visit the Green Tree Inn, plan an event or enjoy a stay. The couple encourages people to check out their official website or Facebook page for more information.
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