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Homes on the 2010 Tour

The Bowman Cottage

Owner: Susan Bowman

Although surrounded by trees, this hillside four-bedroom cottage has the “feel and flavor of a bright, airy lodge,” says owner Susan Bowman.

It is so high and open to nature that she leaves the windows uncovered, ushering in a brightness that enhances the cheerful atmosphere of a place she once considered calling “Mosswood Lodge.”
 
Indeed, moss accents sometimes grow to thicknesses measured in several inches. And the cottage is surrounded by nature. Through an upper-story window, she once came face to face with an opossum staring at her from a nearby tree.  And when she is in the living room, she says, “I can feel the eyes of very young, gentle deer looking in on me.” All of which adds to the continuing pleasures of one of her favorite spots in this home, which she enjoys throughout the year. “On a winter day, there’s no better place than in the living room, beside the fireplace and facing the deck, with snow all over the trees. It is a winter wonderland,” says Susan, a Lancaster-based investment counselor.

And in summer, her favorite spot shifts to the enclosed upstairs porch, where it is sometimes possible to enjoy music wafting up through the trees from the Mt. Gretna Playhouse below.

What she also appreciates is the sense of privacy this home affords. “There is no obvious front door,” she says. The entrance that House Tour visitors will use is also the one she prefers, opening directly into her kitchen.  Neighbors, she adds, are friendly but never intrusive, a Mt. Gretna characteristic that many residents consider among its chief hallmarks.Then, there is one other aspect of life here that Susan – who has actually lived in three different Mt. Gretna homes over the past 12 years -- appreciates, especially on hot, humid days. “In the summertime,” she says, “it’s always 10 degrees cooler than in Lancaster.”

Bruins Lair

Owners: John & Sally Bear

When two art teachers meet and marry, they are likely –and happily -- destined to a lifetime of sculpting, shaping and redesigning their surroundings. That may be the lifetime story of John and Sally Bear—who regard this three-bedroom cottage, after 11 years of ownership, as a “work in progress.”

After purchasing “Bruins Lair” (a name based on the Middle English term for “bear”), the Lititz couple embarked on a series of improvements. As one was completed, another followed—a pattern that has kept them busy ever since.

Among incremental steps taken in what is now almost a total refurbishment of this three-bedroom cottage are refinishing the yellow pine floors, rebuilding the fireplace and chimney, rewiring and adding new plumbing throughout the cottage and remodeling their kitchen. They then removed the porch and replaced it with one built of Philippine mahogany, and added landscaping touches to the five original lots on which this home was built in 1910. They also carried out a top-to-bottom makeover of the garage.

Throughout these renovations, the Bears have sought to preserve the look of the cottage as originally specified by its turn-of-the-century owner, a professor at Franklin & Marshall College.

“We’re not done yet,” says Mr. Bear—who, in addition to having been a teacher and mosaic tile designer, spent much of his career marketing residential swimming pools throughout the Central Pennsylvania area.

Although he and Sally are now retired, they spend as much time here as possible, coming up on weekends throughout the year and sometimes stretching their Mt. Gretna season into family dinners at Thanksgiving and Christmas. They also enjoy their permanent home in Lititz—which, unsurprisingly, is currently undergoing remodeling touches. Though they have lived in that home for 47 years, for these former art teachers with creative impulses as vibrant as ever, it, too, is another “work in progress.”

Cottage Chocolat

Owners: John & Elaine Feather

The names that people give to their cottages often impart insights into their owners' personalities, not to mention endearing aspects of the cottages themselves.

In this case, a touch of whimsy -- plus chocolate's high ranking on their list of preferred treats, and a light-hearted movie nominated for five Academy Awards the year that the Feathers bought this cottage -- all play a part.

A previous owner had added central air, a new roof and skylights and redone the wiring since the Feathers first considered, then rejected, this cottage two years earlier. Yet their subsequent decision to become Mt. Gretna cottage owners introduced them to what John Feather calls “The Mayswell Principle.” That’s when a contractor says something like, “Well, since you’re fixin’ this, you may-as-well fix that.” Such adventures can cause what starts out as a $100 project to mushroom into a “$10,000 Black Hole, says Mr. Feather, an attorney in nearby Annville.

The owners’ “Mayswell” projects at this 1903 four-bedroom cottage have included replacing a non-functioning fireplace with one that burns real logs. “Sure, it’s messy and hard to light, but we like the crackle and the scent of real wood burning on cold winter nights,” he says. They also removed old tiles and linoleum to discover yellow pine flooring which they refinished on both floors. And they have remodeled the bedrooms and installed 34 new awning windows that allow them to enjoy their wraparound porch from early spring into late fall.

The Feathers also delight in yet another aspect of living in a Mt. Gretna cottage where, usually, nothing is quite level. “Just put a marble down on the floor and grandchildren can chase it all over the place. There’s not a level spot in the cottage, so it’s always going up or down somewhere,” he says.

In Mt. Gretna, it’s part of the charm.

The Ney Cottage

Owners: Suzanne & Marshall Ney

Childhood memories often cast long shadows, influencing the choices we make throughout our lives as adults.

Her husband’s fond memories of spending time at his grandparents’ Virginia cottage persuaded Suzanne Ney that a place she had discovered in Pennsylvania, not far from their home in Hummelstown, would surely rekindle those early experiences.

“When I came to Mt. Gretna, it reminded me of their place along the river near Harrisonburg, Va. I just knew he would like it,” she says.

The Neys had, in fact, been mulling over the possibility of purchasing a second home. Locations they considered had included North Carolina, Florida and New Jersey. But they soon shifted their focus to a destination closer to home. “Why spend all of that money on a place you might get to only once or twice a year?” asks Marshall, an investment counselor.

As he and Suzanne walked up the pathway to this 119-year-old cottage for the first time last year, it seemed right. “I like older homes,” he says. “This one, with its sense of nostalgia, its Victorian flavor was perfect.“

The new owners have thoroughly remodeled their kitchen—which, for Suzanne, is one of her favorite spots. Yet the porch exerts the strongest appeal for them both. "It’s what sold us," says Marshall.

While refinishing the kitchen floor to reveal the beauty of original wood, the Neys have also been busy going to area antique auctions. His grandparents, who were themselves antique dealers, stimulated similar passions in their grandchildren.

Suzanne’s intuition, therefore, could not have been more accurate. Along with its antiques, textures and woodsy aromas, this cottage awakens the echoes of memories past. It is more than a weekend getaway. Rather, it is a storehouse of reverberations from childhood that will likely always remain treasures.

The Hoffsommer House

Owners: Barbara Hoffsommer Mark, Robert Hoffsommer and John Hoffsommer
Three generations of the same family have occupied this cottage since it was built 100 years ago. Along with a century’s worth of memories are clues attesting to its heritage.

 The walls of rooms on the second floor, for example, have no ceilings—a design feature of the early 20th century that allowed air to freely circulate in the days before the modern-day luxury of air conditioning. Vestiges of porcelain fixtures, unfamiliar to most people under the age of 50, once carried electrical wiring throughout the cottage. There’s also a clawfoot bathtub, which must surely be a wonder to modern teenagers.

Then there’s that dumbwaiter. As a child, Barbara Mark climbed into it for rides up and down between floors as her father, a Harrisburg school teacher, tugged at the ropes.

Probably because this cottage holds such fond memories for Barbara and her brothers, they are determined to see that it always remains in their family. This is the cottage’s 100th anniversary year, having been built in 1910 on six lots that occupy a prime spot near the pump house in the Campmeeting.

With five bedrooms, it accommodates up to nine persons when the whole family gathers. Yet on most days between May and October, only two or three family members spend time here. They typically gravitate to the L-shaped front porch—an inviting spot for reading, relaxing and gathering with friends.

The Mt. Gretna Inn

Owners: Harry S. Short, Jr. and Frank Romonoski III.

One Friday afternoon, having read about the Mt. Gretna Inn in Baltimore Style magazine, a couple drove up to spend the night. They instantly fell in love with Mt. Gretna and the next day, bought a cottage here. 

It’s a story Frank Romonoski loves telling—one of the many delights that he and partner Harry Short have discovered since buying the Inn a few years ago. Frank, a food service company executive, and Harry, a certified chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales culinary institute, love catering to guests. Several have left notes saying, “You made us feel like kings and queens”—a signal that “we’re hitting the mark,” he says.    

Their three-story inn, open year-round, was once the private home of Mt. Gretna Heights entrepreneur Abraham Kauffman, who drew design inspirations from the Arts and Crafts movement that prevailed during the period 1910 to 1925. It has also been a church camp, and a restaurant, and is now a bed and breakfast—where the owners strive for a “comfortable and casual” atmosphere reminiscent of an Adirondacks lodge.
 
“We’ve had guests from Alaska, California and Arizona,” says Frank. “But what’s surprised us is that the majority of our guests are local, coming from places like Lancaster and Harrisburg.”

Also surprising has been the delightful nurturing that goes with owning an inn. “It’s like running a cruise ship,” says Frank. “All the hustle and bustle of getting everything ready to make guests comfortable—flower arrangements, sweeping, laundering, preparing hors d'oeuvres. We sometimes call this our ‘land yacht.’”
Guests enjoy an eclectic mix of furnishings in this elegantly refurbished inn the owners strive to make “comfortable and casual rather than ‘fussy’.” Each of the seven rooms is unique, with private baths. Some have private porches, gas fireplaces or whirlpool tubs. All rooms have access to a butler’s pantry, microwave ovens and other modern amenities.  What’s the favorite spot of both owners and guests? Unquestionably, it’s the porch, says Frank, “a place you can escape to with a glass of wine at night, listening to crickets, or with coffee in the morning, listening to the birds—it’s a little bit of heaven.”

"Athenry"

Owners: Eric Sheffer and Emily Hitz

Chance encounters sometimes change lives. Eric and Emily, strolling past this cottage nine years ago, paused for a moment to consider its possibilities—even though no “For Sale” sign was posted outside. “It’s got potential,” said Eric, an electrical engineer. Emily, a mechanical engineer who is also a stained glass artist, agreed.

“Well, I might be interested in selling sometime,” said a voice emanating from behind the bushes.

Neither Eric nor Emily had noticed the woman, perhaps in her mid-80s, standing on the porch, almost camouflaged by a bush. But less than two weeks later, they were the new owners of this circa 1892 cottage, which they soon named Athenry, honoring Eric's Irish heritage.

“It needed a lot of work,” he says. That included lifting the home from its foundation and "gutting the interior" to install new insulation, wiring and plumbing. They later fitted out the porches on two levels with mahogany flooring. In a process that took four months, Emily hand-rubbed each of the planks in oil.

Then came projects to remodel first the bathroom and then the kitchen, installing a copper sink, custom countertops and cabinetry. Home remodeling teaches many lessons: “Whatever time you think it will take, double it,” says Eric. But he quickly adds, “It’s worth it. Especially in Mt. Gretna. We just love the peace and quiet. When we invite friends who’ve never been here before, they’re stunned. They can’t believe how nice it is, and unlike anything they have ever seen.”

Would they do it all over again? “It’s probably the best investment we’ve ever made,” he says.

One thing more they have both learned: When you have a dream, it sometimes pays to think out loud. You never know who might be behind a bush, listening.

The Heights Community Building

It is the central hub of Mt. Gretna Heights, a neighborhood built in the 1920s and 1930s that has since become a haven for artists, writers, musicians and other talented residents.

For nearly 70 years, this building has been the setting for weddings and receptions, birthday and retirement parties, classes in everything from watercolor painting to cooking with herbs, book reviews, flower arranging, dance instruction (including ballet, lyrical, hip-hop and modern) and—more recently—wellness, yoga and tai chi.

It is also a place where neighbors gather to greet one another on social occasions and also to conduct the affairs of their community.

Inside this rustic building is space for up to 100 people. Beneath the vaulted ceiling is a huge fireplace, built with stones taken from the five-story Conewago Hotel, following its demolition in 1940. Completed in 1942 and thoroughly remodeled in 2001, the building is operated and maintained by the owners of approximately 70 homes that make up the Mt. Gretna Heights community.

The Clagett Residence

Owners: Arts & Michele Clagett

This is unlike any home that most visitors would ever expect to find in Mt. Gretna, or, indeed, along the Eastern Seaboard.

Looking more like a home that ought to be perched atop a cliff in Malibu, overlooking the Pacific, it is the residence of two artists who intend to someday make this the headquarters of their nascent photographic and jewelry studios.

While awaiting the formal opening of Timber Hills Studio (which has a website: www.timberhillsstudio.com/), this four-bedroom home already serves as a storehouse of creative impulses.

Built originally as a single-story home in the late 1950s, it grew to two stories in 1984 under the guidance of Mt. Gretna architect Roland Nissley.

Its clean, contemporary cedar exterior includes architectural accents that harmonize with landscaping touches added by Michele Clagett. Inside, together with paintings by several well-known Mt. Gretna artists are larger-than-life photographic images that attest to Art Clagett's 26 years as a professional photographer.

Their circular fireplace is a favorite wintertime spot. When summer arrives, they shift to their outdoor pool or a screened-in porch, where they often have dinner.

The Clagetts have lived here just two years, relocating from a spot less than two blocks away. Prompting that move was both their desire for more space and a decision to select now what they feel confident will be their ultimate retirement spot.

The Mt. Gretna Historical Society

Six years ago, members of the Mt. Gretna Area Historical Society began laying their plans for a museum. Soon afterward, workers lifted this cottage 12 feet into the air and carved out space for a basement archive and fireproof cement vault.

Yet if it now looks like simply another Mt. Gretna cottage, those who restored it will consider their labors a success. Fitted with new plumbing, wiring and special provisions for the handicapped, the cottage has environmental controls that regulate humidity in the basement and on the first floor. An upper floor remains unheated, preserving the cottage’s turn-of-the-century lineage.

Among its most important roles today is helping modern-day owners who plan to restore their cottages. The museum is also a repository for audio and video histories – memories recorded in the voices of current and former Mt. Gretna residents who helped shape the town’s history.

Amplifying that heritage are furnishings from the former Conewago Hotel and Mt. Gretna Inn, Playhouse playbills carrying such names as Charlton Heston, Bernadette Peters and Sally Struthers (who was featured in a return engagement this spring).

Visitors will also find a handmade Campmeeting cottage dollhouse, decorated in the Mt. Gretna style with working electric lights. The building also houses military memorabilia, drawn from the area’s more than 50 years as the summer headquarters of the Pennsylvania National Guard.

For other details, contact the Mt. Gretna Area Historical Society, P.O. Box 362, Mt, Gretna, PA 17604.

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