Friday, July 29, 2011
Builder's descendant visits the Inn
In the process of exploring her ancestry, Judith Meads, a great granddaughter of William Pole, 1868 builder of this wonderful old house at 501 South Main Street, made a pilgrimage to the Inn this week. Bearing a file of papers describing her connection with the house, and old photographs of the Poles, Mrs. Meads and her husband Harry stayed in the deluxe Lexington Room in fulfillment of this part of her quest for her roots.
Friday, March 19, 2010
The man who planted the magnolia tree
Henry Eichelberger visited us yesterday. Henry grew up in this house and, after an academic career that took him to Scotland for many years, he has returned to live in Lexington. At our invitation, he came with his wife to tour the Inn that used to be his home.
The tour proved a delight all around. We were so pleased to have the Eichelbergers exclaim over room after room, thoroughly enjoying the Victorian decor and all the quaint details that make the place feel like home to our many guests. Although the details are different, most of the original structure remains unchanged, and Henry told us what he remembered of the various rooms when this was his home.
As we ended our visit standing on the front porch for lingering conversation, we asked if it were true that Henry had planted our magnificent--and namesake--magnolia tree. Indeed he did! He was about eight years old, and the year was about 1943, and the tree was about five feet tall. Which answers the question so many people ask us: How old is the magnolia tree? We now know it is about 70 years. Long may it live, welcoming guests with its shiny green leaves year round, and blessing us with platter-sized creamy-white and fragrant blooms every June.
Come again, Henry--this house will always welcome you home!
The tour proved a delight all around. We were so pleased to have the Eichelbergers exclaim over room after room, thoroughly enjoying the Victorian decor and all the quaint details that make the place feel like home to our many guests. Although the details are different, most of the original structure remains unchanged, and Henry told us what he remembered of the various rooms when this was his home.
As we ended our visit standing on the front porch for lingering conversation, we asked if it were true that Henry had planted our magnificent--and namesake--magnolia tree. Indeed he did! He was about eight years old, and the year was about 1943, and the tree was about five feet tall. Which answers the question so many people ask us: How old is the magnolia tree? We now know it is about 70 years. Long may it live, welcoming guests with its shiny green leaves year round, and blessing us with platter-sized creamy-white and fragrant blooms every June.
Come again, Henry--this house will always welcome you home!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Back in the swing
Jan and I are getting re-acquainted with the Inn--although some of the breakfast process that becomes automatic over time has needed a little de-rusting (like...which ingredient do we put in first?).
We departed in early December for a mission trip to Kenya, and returned on Christmas Eve. The down side was the weather in Virginia on our return. In Kenya days were 80-85 degrees and nights around 65. Perfect climate. At home, Lexington was still digging out from 20 inches of snow with temperatures in the teens. Merry Christmas, indeed. We are thankful that by now the snow is almost gone (except for plowed piles here and there). And we are inching into the 50s.
With one weekend in December already filled with Inn guests, booked before our plans were finalized, we left the place in the hands of Patrick, a 22-year old college student. Patrick had helped us in the summer of 2008, and so he knew how we operate things. Being off from college for the semester, he was happy to take charge here for one weekend. By remarks in our guest book, Patrick did a great job!
We departed in early December for a mission trip to Kenya, and returned on Christmas Eve. The down side was the weather in Virginia on our return. In Kenya days were 80-85 degrees and nights around 65. Perfect climate. At home, Lexington was still digging out from 20 inches of snow with temperatures in the teens. Merry Christmas, indeed. We are thankful that by now the snow is almost gone (except for plowed piles here and there). And we are inching into the 50s.
With one weekend in December already filled with Inn guests, booked before our plans were finalized, we left the place in the hands of Patrick, a 22-year old college student. Patrick had helped us in the summer of 2008, and so he knew how we operate things. Being off from college for the semester, he was happy to take charge here for one weekend. By remarks in our guest book, Patrick did a great job!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
An interesting coincidence
Two days after we acquired the Inn in April of 2004, we had four rooms of guests - all friends on a vacation together. This weekend one of the couples returned for the first time in five and a half years and we had fun recalling our earliest hosting experience here.
What was interesting was that another couple also were visiting again for the first time in five and a half years, but they had come a few days before our arrival, staying with previous owners.
Two couples...who came originally within days of each other, and of our own arrival at the Inn in 2004...both return after these several years...on the same weekend!
Fun!
(I can't resist quoting the entry the second couple--from England--left in our guest book: "The best recommendation we can make is that we stayed here in 2004 and have enjoyed it even more this time round. Worth travelling ?,ooo miles.")
What was interesting was that another couple also were visiting again for the first time in five and a half years, but they had come a few days before our arrival, staying with previous owners.
Two couples...who came originally within days of each other, and of our own arrival at the Inn in 2004...both return after these several years...on the same weekend!
Fun!
(I can't resist quoting the entry the second couple--from England--left in our guest book: "The best recommendation we can make is that we stayed here in 2004 and have enjoyed it even more this time round. Worth travelling ?,ooo miles.")
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Just can't have too much publicity!
To our surprise and delight, in addition to the Budget Travel Magazine's article--and it's various spin-offs as in Google and Yahoo!--we have also received the attention of the Wall Street Journal, in today's Travel section. Lexington is featured--in what appears to be a totally new piece, and we are the one mentioned representative of the "lovely old bed and breakfasts" in town. How encouraging is that!
Thank you Wall Street Journal!
Thank you Wall Street Journal!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
FROMMER'S selects our Inn!
How pleased we are to share the news that Frommer's BUDGET TRAVEL Magazine's October 2009 issue features Lexington, Virginia, in its article on the ten "Coolest Towns in America:" http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2009/09/04/AR2009090402162.html
And that the 1868 Magnolia House Inn was selected as the bed and breakfast of note! Our historic B&B caught the editor's eye as representative of the "Norman Rockwell" quaintness of this wonderful--and, yes, "Cool"--town in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
Thank you Frommer's!
And that the 1868 Magnolia House Inn was selected as the bed and breakfast of note! Our historic B&B caught the editor's eye as representative of the "Norman Rockwell" quaintness of this wonderful--and, yes, "Cool"--town in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
Thank you Frommer's!
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Old Man River
What a day it was for a dip in the Maury! Mid-eighties, almost cloudless sky, high water from weeks of good rainfall. The Goshen Pass--a stunning gorge where the Maury River makes its way between mountains in the Allegheny range just 20 miles from Lexington--is accessed by route 39 winding along the river. The trip is beautiful in itself. But park the car in a vacant one of dozens of pull-offs along the road, and clamber down to the water's edge to feel that you own the wilderness. Wade or swim to a boulder in the river and bask in the view and the sun and wonder if any problems exist in such an Eden!
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