Dreamland Palace was built in 1875 and was originally a tavern, general store, dance hall, and stage coach stop. During the 1800's the small town of Foster Pond served as the midway stop between Waterloo and the Mississippi river. It was six miles either way. If you were traveling by wagon or by horse, that was the halfway point, where you could water your horses, buy supplies at the General Store, or get something to drink. You could also stay the night at the Old Stone Hotel across the road, which also had an old time blacksmith ready to repair wagon wheels, tools, saddles, etc.

The town Foster Pond got its name during the 1800's when a man named Mr. Foster owned the Old Stone Hotel. During heavy rain, the land in the front of his building would flood and form a pond which would then flood the road. So, when a heavy rain would pour down, the locals would ask each other "is Foster's Pond flooded?" before traveling. Sometimes if the pond was too high, travelers would have to take the "backwoods way"

In the early 1920's the owners needed dancing space, so they built the dance hall located on the north side of the building. They held weekly and sometimes nightly dances which many people still remember.

As the years went by, the Old Stone Hotel became a private residence and the post office next door closed, which meant there wasn't steady business through the town. Never the less, Dreamland Palace started to become a well know place for wedding dances, private parties, reunions, and "good-ol-get-togethers".

Monroe County has much German Heritage. The influx of German immigrants in the early 1830's and again the late 1840's still has a lasting impression in this county. Dreamland Palace and much of the surrounding buildings were built by either German immigrants or those with direct German heritage.

Dreamland Palace had been very carefully restored since Mike and Joan Lang purchased the building in 1990. Much time and work went into restoring the building to bring out its original charm, with a German flair, which is fitting for this historical German area of Illinois.

We serve lunch and dinner along with out Traditional German Specialties from Joan's family recipes. We hope you enjoy our delicious food and your visit here while you enjoy the German atmosphere. Groups large or small are always welcome, please call ahead, and thank you for visiting us!