Touring Historic B&Bs in Charming Havre de Grace

The Concord Point Lighthouse dates back to 1827

Some things remain a mystery, like why weathermen in the Harrisburg area appear to be fixated on a town that takes two hours to reach by car. For as far back as I can remember, local prognosticators have dutifully reported on the temperatures in Havre de Grace, Maryland, which makes little sense to me. After all, Philadelphia and West Chester are within striking distance, yet we rarely hear about the weather there.

My curiosity eventually got the best of me and I began researching the little town of less than 15,000. I learned that in 2014 the area was named by Smithsonian Magazine as one of the top 20 best small towns to visit, so I decided to travel there earlier in the month to learn more about what makes it so special.

I now understand why the place is so highly regarded, although I'm still a bit flummoxed as to why local weathermen are so entranced, other than the fact that it always seems warmer there than in my neck of the woods.

In my next blog post, I'll share more about this scenic area situated at the mouth of the Susquehanna River and the head of the Chesapeake Bay, but for now, I'll share a little more about three historic B&Bs, which are all located conveniently near shops, restaurants, and other destinations.

The Vandiver Inn
Located at 301 S. Union Avenue, the Vandiver Inn is known as a premier wedding destination, so chances are you may see a bride or two during your visit.

The mansion dates back to 1886 and is named after Murray Vandiver, who served as Secretary and Treasurer of Maryland and as Mayor of Havre de Grace.Vandiver built the large Victorian "cottage" as a present for his wife, so it seems quite fitting that today it is a popular wedding venue.

The Vandiver Inn

For a time, the house served as an apartment complex, but in the 1980s it was restored to its former glory. Stained glass windows which had previously been removed and sold were amazingly tracked down by the new owners and returned to their proper place.

An attractive bronze lights the way to the rooms upstairs.

Guests can choose from among three houses when staying at the Vandiver Inn. We spent the weekend in the comfortable Cockburn Room in the Kent House located right next door to the main mansion. The attractive room features a sitting area, a private entrance, and a porch overlooking the lawn. Breakfast is served at the main house each morning and can be enjoyed on the lovely and spacious front porch during warmer weather.

A lovely setting for sipping on a large cuppa Joe. 

The sitting room at the Vandiver Inn

Guests help themselves to ala carte breakfast items here. Our hot morning dish was crab quiche.

The inside of the Cockburn Room

The sitting area of the Cockburn Room.

What's happening behind me? We could have had a birds-eye view to an "I-Do" or two, but we decided to allow them their privacy. 

The Spencer-Silver Mansion
The Spencer-Silver Mansion dates back to 1896 and is known as one of the largest historic houses in Havre de Grace built as a private residence. Crafted of granite from nearby Port Deposit, the structure is recognized as the only High Victorian stone mansion in the city.

The Spencer Silver Mansion

The house was constructed for John Spencer, a merchant and foundry owner and was later purchased by Charles Silver, the owner of a local cannery.

At one point in time, according to owner Carol Nemeth, a group of doctors joined together with the intention of gutting the stunning structure to make way for a clinic. Luckily, Nemeth was willing to pivot from her occupation in International Banking to proprietor of a bed and breakfast.She used her passion for historical preservation to restore the home to its former glory and has been lovingly caring for the property for the past 29 years.

The main house consists of four guest rooms furnished with Victorian antiques. A two-story cottage tucked away behind the mansion features a whirlpool bath, a spiral staircase, a living room with a working fireplace and a queen-sized bed.

Sitting room of the Spencer-Silver Mansion 

Second-floor sitting area of the Spencer-Silver Mansion

An alcove in a bedroom in the Spencer-Silver mansion

A working antique phone from France

A sitting area on the second floor of the Spencer-Silver mansion

Porch of the Spencer-Silver mansion

Guests are encouraged to relax in the secluded backyard garden

La Cle D'or GuestHouse

Antique lovers will find something of interest in every turn of the head at La Cle D'or (Key of Gold) Guesthouse located at 226 North Union Avenue.

The home dates back to 1868 and was once the home to Henry Harrison Hopkins, a pharmacist who built the structure in the Second Empire Style. The Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties describes the home as having "an eclectic, even eccentric style that became popular after the Civil War."

Owner Ron Browning is always ready, willing and available to discuss the provenance of each antique with an encyclopedic knowledge and guests are encouraged to inquire about the pieces, many of which are for sale.

The former history teacher owns furniture that dates back to the 1700s, Delft pottery dating back to the 1600s, an 1800's "flow blue" china collection, documents signed by Lafayette and Louis XIV and an authentic Renoir, to name just a few of the impressive items on display.

A front view of La Cle D'or Guesthouse

A lion guards the front of the La Cle D'or Guesthouse

Living room of La Cle D'or

Alcove at La Cle D'or

Dining room at La Cle D'or

Antiques at La Cle D'or

The Lapis Lazuli room at La Cle D'or

The Russian Room at La Cle D'or

Back patio at La Cle D'or

These interesting, excellent and comfortable lodging options are just a few that are available for your stay in Havre de Grace. For those who enjoy architecture and history, they also have the added advantage of being located on the Lafayette Trail.

Many thanks to Tyler Buck for taking the time to show me around the town during my stay and for literally opening the doors to these beautiful venues.

Next Up: Exploring Havre de Grace

Columbus Antiquities Discovered in the Unlikeliest of Places

Sometimes it's amazing the roundabout way we discover treasures that were heretofore unbeknownst to us. In fact, it was quite by accident that I learned that Pennsylvania is home to an impressive collection of antiquities once owned by Christopher Columbus--yes, that  Christopher Columbus--the one who sailed the ocean blue in Fourteen Hundred Ninety-Two.

I learned about the collection after returning from Key West, where I visited the Hemingway House. When I sat down to share the details on this blog, I realized that I needed a few more specifics about the abode that once belonged to the famous author, so I picked up the phone to reach out to the contacts listed on the web page. The kind lady who answered my questions soon discovered that I lived in Pennsylvania. She then shared that she hailed from the Boalsburg area and marveled at the fact that as a travel writer, I was unaware of the astounding collection of Christopher Columbus artifacts that are tucked away in her small corner of the woods. 

Since then, I always tell people that we made our way to the treasures in Boalsburg by way of Key West.

The Boal Mansion Museum

The mansion from the front

Boalsburg is home to fewer than 4,000 inhabitants, but it also has the distinction of being known as the birthplace of Memorial Day. The kind lady on the phone offered up that little factoid as well. It's amazing how few realize the historical importance of Boalsburg, let alone the fact that a king's ransom of priceless artifacts lies just beyond the treeline on business route 322.    

Less than two hours after leaving our home near Harrisburg, we found ourselves navigating our way up a long gravel driveway to the 200-year old Boal Estate and poking around the "rustic" grounds which are home to the "Columbus" chapel and the Boal Mansion. Director Bob Cameron explained that manicured lawns don't necessarily "hew to history" and furthermore, a tornado had just touched down taking out several large trees. We felt lucky to have avoided that storm.

A docent greeted us and led us through the Mansion first, providing us with a great deal of information about the Boal family beginning with David Boal, a Scottish-Irish pioneer. Boal, in his quest for inexpensive land and freedom, founded the village and established a popular tavern nearby. The mansion began as a simple log home and evolved into what it is today.

David's son George became a farmer and advocated for those who worked the land after securing a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and founding the Centre County Agricultural Society. The Farmer's College, now known as Pennsylvania State University, is located in nearby State College. Penn State fans can thank George for that.

The Columbus connection can be attributed to the fourth generation of the Boal family. Colonel Theodore Davis Boal traveled to Europe in the 1890s to study architecture. It was there that he met a French-Spanish aristocrat by the name of Mathilde de Lagarde, who was related to Christopher Columbus by marriage.

Visitors who tour the mansion will view original furnishings belonging to the Boal family, along with portraits, tools, weapons, place settings and other artifacts.

The Boal family was "well-connected" and it shows. Among the collection are five different original presidential signatures, a lock of Napolean's hair, (de Largarde was a descendant of Josephine), and items signed by the astronauts from Apollo 11. I'd be remiss in failing to mention the items that are on display from King Tut's great grandparents' tomb, courtesy of George Jack Boal, who married a woman whose brother-in-law was the Egyptologist who made the discovery.

The Living Room/Library of the Boal Mansion was added to the home in 1809.

The Boal Mansion Dining Room

The elegant Boal Mansion ballroom was added in 1898 by Theodore Davis Boal and features a piano once owned by Dolly Madison.

Piano owned by Dolly Madison

Ballroom at the Boal Mansion 

Docents prefer to hold the information about the contents of the Columbus Chapel close to the vest until the end of the house tour when guests are then led to an ancient-looking stone structure with a unique backstory all its own.

The Columbus Chapel
Located just a short walk from the mansion, the Columbus Chapel is said to contain "the most significant collection of Christopher Columbus artifacts in North America." For this, you can thank Mathilde de Lagarde, the wife of Theodore Boal. De Lagarde inherited the collection from her Aunt Dona Victoria Columbus. Columbus died widowed and childless and willed the chapel to her niece. Colonel Boal's initial desire was to transport the structure to Boalsburg, but the Spanish government would have no parts of it, so he decided to build an exact replica on the Boalsburg mansion grounds and move all the contents to the property.

The anticipation of what lies beyond hangs heavily in the air as the docent fiddles with the lock on the metal security doors. Finally, it's time to reveal the original entrance to the chapel. The ornately carved, old heavy wood door doesn't disappoint and leads the way to the collection within.

The ornately carved door leads the way to the antiquities therein.

There's a sense of reverence inside the cozy structure that touts an array of ancient artifacts, like a well-used admiral's desk that Columbus pressed into service on his four journeys to the New World, 15th-century paintings and various statues ranging in date from the 14th-17th century. The Columbus Family Tree and Coat of Arms hang above on the choir loft and silk religious vestments with gold embroidery as old as 500 years are stored behind a clear partition in a chest of drawers.

The interior of the Columbus Chapel in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania

Columbus Coat of Arms

Funeral vestments may strike fear into the hearts of some

Stored inside a leather case is a silver reliquary, which is said to contain two pieces of the true cross of Jesus Christ brought back during the Crusades. On the wall hangs a manuscript attesting to its authenticity as certified by a Spanish Bishop.

The reliquary ensconced in its case

Inside the silver reliquary are two pieces of wood said to be part left arm of the "True Cross"

Hidden behind confessional doors are 165,000 pages of family archives dating back to the year 1451. One wonders if they shouldn't be hermetically sealed in some manner, but we were assured that the correspondence has been cataloged for posterity courtesy of the Pennsylvania State University.

Confessionals which store correspondence dating back to the 1400s.

If you're interested in viewing this amazing collection, there's still time to do so before the season's end. Tours are conducted daily from 1:30 to 5:00 p.m. through October 30. 

You can learn more about the Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum website by clicking on this link. 

Visiting Lancaster's Conestoga House and Gardens

Garden lovers still have time before the summer season ends to visit the Conestoga House and Gardens located at 1608 Marietta Avenue in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Once home to James Hale Steinman and his wife Louise McClure Tinsley, the gardens of the plush, 20-acre property are open to the public through September.

The couple purchased the land, including the original house and several outbuildings, in 1927. Philadelphia architects Mellor, Meigs and Howe were commissioned to design extensive additions and modifications, creating what has been described as an outstanding example of Colonial Revival architecture. The work was completed in 1929, and the Conestoga House itself has remained essentially unchanged since then.

Mr. and Mrs. Steinman

The Lord of the Manor
Col. James Hale Steinman was a Yale graduate, a practicing attorney, a WWI veteran and an entrepreneur, with a keen interest in radio and television. By the 1930s, he and his brother owned nine AM stations in eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware and in 1949, the brothers founded WGAL-TV as one of the first VHF television station in the country. At the peak of their interest, the Steinman brothers owned six stations.

Steinman could be described as a "media mogel" in his neck of the woods and developed an interest in print, as well, serving as President and co-publisher of Lancaster Newspapers, Inc., which today is known as LNP Media Group, Inc.

After Colonial Steinman’s death, the house and grounds were incorporated as part of the James Hale Steinman Conestoga House Foundation.

The Lady
Louise McClure Tinsley Steinman was born in Nashville, Tennessee to a direct descendant of Charlemagne. Her interests included showing saddle horses, traveling, antiques and, of course, flowers.

A civic-minded individual, Mrs. Steinman served on numerous boards and in 1974 created the Louise Steinman von Hess Foundation to preserve historically significant buildings in Lancaster County. One of her first endeavors was to restore Columbia's Wright's Ferry Mansion to its original state.
She also helped establish the Louise von Hess Foundation for Medical Education to provide continuing education for Lancaster area physicians.

Ms. Steinman passed away on November 12, 1980, nearly 18 years after her James Hale Steinman's death.

The Parties
Louise and James became known for their bridge parties, tennis matches and other outdoor entertainment in the gardens. The couple hosted international celebrities and high-ranking business and government officials and invitations were highly prized. Said one social columnist in 1946, “Everyone who visits the James Hale Steinmans in Lancaster hints like mad for a return invitation. The reason one casts the amenities to the wind and resorts to such out-and-out measures is the combination of beauty, comfort and fun that Conestoga House offers to every one of its continuous stream of weekend visitors.”

The Grounds
Today guests can stroll the grounds and imagine what it was like to snag a coveted invitation to the place where the rich and famous frolicked at what was then known as one of the largest residences in Lancaster County.

160 rose bushes representing 20 varieties of roses can be seen on the grounds. 

The current horticultural collection includes 3,300 annuals, a collection of bonsai, 400 tropical plants, 160 varieties of perennials and more than 20 types of roses. A selection of topiary, flowering Urns, and window boxes add a bit of a European flair, providing additional visual interest.

Topiary 

Passion Flower

Hibiscus

Sitting area outside at Conestoga House and Gardens

One of the first in-ground pools installed in Lancaster County

The pool "complex," with its 60-foot swimming pool, bathhouse and dance floor is used today by various civic groups for picnics and special events. Nearby, guests can relax in a shady sitting area built atop a lime kiln in view of a collection of tropical plants.

One of the newest installations includes a water garden featuring hardy lilies, aquatic plants and thriving koi.

Water Lilly 

Tours are self-guided for groups of 15 or less. Groups of more than 15 can make arrangements for a guide by calling in advance. Gardens are open from mid-June through September. Directions and hours can be found on the website at https://conestogahouse.com