Country Inns: Heart of My Heart Ranch

Filled with family heirlooms, Heart of My Heart Ranch, in Round Top, Texas, offers a sense of history, comfort, and fine Lone Star fare.


"We built this farmhouse in 1980 as a setting for our family heirlooms, not to open an inn," admits Frances Harris, whose husband's ancestors settled in the Round Top area in the 1830's. But several years ago, with collectors and concert-goers flocking to local antiques fairs and the nearby music conservatory and finding nowhere to stay, the Harrises began to welcome travelers.

With its six structures and guest rooms stocked with ancestral furnishings, Heart of My Heart Ranch has since become a historical destination of sorts in itself.

Home on the Range


The twin-chimney farmhouse was built by owners Frances and Bill Harris on their working cattle ranch in 1980. It is one of six structures on the property. Another guest favorite is the 1836 log cabin that still stands on its original building site.

The 200-acre ranch — considered small by Texas standards — combines pastures, orchards, a lake, a pond, and a wealth of live oaks.

Family Heirlooms


In one of the farmhouse guest rooms a bed, bureau, and nightstand crafted in the 1830's are distinguished by walnut and Oriental monkeypod woods and elaborate carved detailing.

The crystal figurines and Limoges containers displayed on the chest of drawers are some of the many treasures inherited by innkeeper Bill Harris from his great-grandmother. Rooms throughout the ranch are filled with personal photos and collectibles recalling the history of the property and its present owners.

A Soothing Soak


For ranchhands and guests alike, no day would seem complete without a soothing bath. In the 1900's structure known as "Granny's Cottage," a scarlet painted six-foot-long tub makes a dramatic statement. The cast iron tub, with its original turn-of-the-century brass fittings, is set against whitewashed plank walls and dark painted floor and moldings.

Country Inns: Auldridge Mead

Tucked away in the rolling meadows of eastern Pennsylvania, an 18th-century fieldstone farmhouse doubles as Auldridge Mead Inn.


Nestled in the rolling hills of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, this 18th-century farmhouse was turned into a bed-and-breakfast four years ago by co-owners Craig Mattoli and Karyn Coigne. Craig, a woodworker and craftsman by trade, spent six months combing the area for the antiques and art that fill Auldridge Mead's main house.


"A lot of people are curious about houses of this age," Craig says, "and friends kept saying, 'What a great place to open a country inn.'" So he set about restoring the 15-acre property's main house and stone bank barn to their original grandeur. When he couldn't find appropriate period antiques, Craig substituted his own handwrought wood-carved reproductions.

In the living room, a blazing fire welcomes visitors. A floor lamp offers illumination for curling up with a good book. The red china cupboard behind is original to the house.

Country Feast


The kitchen was added to the main house in 1810. To achieve an aged effect on the wood surrounding the period fireplace, owner Craig Mattoli used paint made especially for porous surfaces which crackled when it dried. Co-owner Karyn Coigne, formerly a chef at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia, created the autumn feast which features rabbit, fresh local greens, and a pumpkin pie ringed with cranberries.

Enjoying the Outdoors


The fieldstone house has 11 rooms (five for guests) and six fireplaces. Fall is the peak season at this inn; guests come to enjoy the outdoor activities that can be found nearby, which include horseback riding, bicycling, boating, and rock climbing.

A Cozy Spot


Another fireplace is found in this guest room. The mantel and doorway were sponge painted, then coated with a dark-red oil glaze. At the foot of the bed sits a Sheraton-style Maryland blanket chest dating to the early 1880's.

Country Inns: Springbrook Hazelnut

Just 20 miles from downtown Portland, Oregon, lies Springbrook Hazelnut Farm, a welcoming inn set amid 70 acres of hazelnut trees.


Pleasant stays in several country inns in Ireland inspired Ellen McClure and her husband, Charles, to open their 1912 Craftsman-style home to guests. Situated on the couple's working hazelnut orchard in Newberg, Ore., Springbrook Hazelnut Farm is part of a farm complex listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can tour nearby wineries, stroll through the property's gardens and orchard, fish the stocked pond, swim, play tennis, or simply relax on the porch.

All of the rooms on the first floor open off the 40-foot-long center hall, which features a vaulted ceiling, a gleaming oak floor, Doric columns, and its original 1920 light fixtures. In an effort to brighten the space, Ellen painted the elaborate woodwork the same shade of yellow used by Impressionist Claude Monet at his home in Giverny. The French doors at the far end of the hall lead to the back porch and the perennial garden.

Rise and Shine


Each morning, a multicourse breakfast is served in the airy sunroom that runs along the front of the house. A checkerboard floor, bright cotton seat cushions, and a wealth of nasturtiums set the cheerful tone. The wicker furniture was fabricated in the 1920's by a now-defunct Oregon manufacturer; the concrete architectural remnant on the window ledge was salvaged from a Portland building that was demolished in the 1960's.

Sleek and Glossy


Shiny Marlite from the 1940's covers the kitchen ceiling and walls. "It's funky," says Ellen of the lightweight surfacing material made in imitation marble, "but I like it." Streamlined and commodious, the room is outfitted with a chopping block salvaged from a meat packing plant and a pristine Spark stove Ellen found for next to nothing at a tag sale.

Peace and Quiet


For guests in search of privacy, the carriage house can be reserved separately. It features a bedroom as well as a separate living room, kitchen, and bath. The golden tones on the wall are picked up in the soft floral bed linens and the crisp checkerboard floor.

Country Inns: Centre Mills

North of Harrisburg, a 19th-century mill owner's home named Centre Mills now welcomes visitors to Pennsylvania farm country.


Originally the home of a Pennsylvania German miller, this 1813 structure in the heart of Brush Valley's Amish farm community was converted into an inn several years ago. An early-19th-century gristmill and the distillery it housed still stand on the wooded 26-acre property.

Innkeeper Maria Davison, who furnished the interior with antiques purchased locally, pampers guests with puff pancakes for breakfast and delights in introducing them to the tranquil countryside, Amish shops, and trout-fishing spots nearby.

"City people come here and they think it's heaven," says Maria. "The area has not yet been discovered, so it's very quiet." Still, Penn State University is within 20 miles, offering activities and diversions. "If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle and hear your heart beat, this is the place," says Maria.

Good Morning!


Breakfast is served in the inn's dining room, where a brilliantly painted late-1700's Pennsylvania German cupboard vies for attention with doors that were painted to recall early regional versions. The green chairs that surround the late-1800's sawbuck table pick up the same rich hue used on the door. Underfoot, the structure's original wide-plank pine floors remain intact.



A Restful Sleep


In a guest bedroom, soothing colors create a welcome retreat. Tranquil shades of green lend character to the wall's tongue-and-groove paneling and trim. An Amish friend of Maria's hand stitched the Nine Patch quilt for the guest room's pencil-post tester bed. A c. 1740's Philadelphia comb-back Windsor, a gilded plaster mirror of the same vintage, and a snake-foot candlestand create an inviting ensemble.

Old-Fashioned Ways


"There goes our local traffic," says Maria Davison, as an Old Order Amish buggy rolls by the road behind the inn. Behind the picket fence lies a cheerful garden. Also on the property is an 1802 mill, which is the last standing stone mill in Centre County. Centre Mills is constructed from local limestone and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Country Inns: Zevely

Join us on a visit to the Augustus T. Zevely Inn in Old Salem--the historic center of Winston-Salem, N.C.


In 1950, concerned citizens formed a nonprofit organization, Old Salem, Inc., to preserve historic structures in the 1766 Moravian town of Salem, N.C. One such structure was the 1844 home and office of physician A. T. Zevely. Now restored and converted into a bed-and-breakfast, the Augustus T. Zevely Inn offers Southern hospitality, mid-19th-century ambiance, and a glimpse of authentic Moravian style.

Southern Hospitality


Plaids and floral prints mingle in the parlor, where overstuffed chairs invite fireside lounging. Furnished with pieces from the Old Salem Collection by Lexington Furniture Industries, the parlor and rooms throughout the c. 1844 inn re-create the feeling of a mid-19th-century home.

Elegant Dining


The dining room's mural, painted in acrylics by a local artist, captures the view Dr. Zevely would have enjoyed while facing east from his upper porch. Today's guests may notice several references to the present in the landscape. "The artist depicted our local free-running guinea fowls," comments Ann Johnson, who helped re-create the inn's 19th-century interior. "And then there's Rosie, a much-loved Irish setter that lives nearby." The chairs are reproductions of late-18th-century Edgecombes on display in Old Salem's Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts.

Traditional Charm


Door pulls in the form of clasped hands, a characteristic Moravian design, distinguish a cherry armoire in this second-floor guest room, which Dr. Zevely long ago used as his master bedroom. A newly crafted North Carolina back-country bed and an upholstered Moravian-style chair pay further homage to regional design.

Country Inns: Puget Sound's Orcas Island

A late-1800's farmhouse on Puget Sound's Orcas Island offers cozy quarters and homemade breakfasts in the countryside.

While scouting for a summer home in the San Juan archipelago, San Francisco Bay-area residents Susan and Bill Fletcher came upon a property that altered the course of their lives. They purchased a dilapidated turn-of-the-century farmhouse set on 80 wooded acres, then plunged into a thorough renovation, converting the former hay barn into Turtleback Farm Inn.

The Fletchers now devote themselves year-round to sharing with guests the tranquility, lush countryside, and homey, antiques-filled accommodations of their Orcas Island hideaway. Breakfasts prepared with eggs from Turtleback's chickens and jam from orchard fruits as well as guest-room comforters made of the wool from Turtleback's sheep celebrate the richness of the island's rural environment.

The Great Outdoors


Bill embellished the inn's exterior with Victorian green paint and fashioned a fence from California vineyard stakes. Near the entryway, an heirloom Rosa rubrifolia blooms. Located on Orcas, considered to be the most beautiful of islands in the San Juan archipelago, the inn overlooks 80 acres of forest and farmland in the shadow of Turtleback Mountain. It commands a spectacular view of lush meadows and duck ponds, with Mt. Constitution providing the backdrop to the east.

Relaxing Indoors


Bill's handcrafted creations -- an oak rocker reconstructed from salvaged furniture parts and a white-pine rocking horse -- distinguish the Valley View room. The room is made cozy by simple country touches: swagged drapery panels, a floral sprig bed cover, and an oblong floor runner. On the deck, guests can enjoy views of a venerable cork elm, valley firs and alders, and Mt. Constitution, which at 2,409 feet is the highest point in the islands.

Breakfast on the Deck


Weather permitting, homemade breakfasts are served on the dining deck, which affords a sweeping view of Crow Valley. Tables are set with china, silver, and crisp linens. Breakfasts include fresh fruits and juices, award-winning granola, home-baked bread and pastries, and fresh eggs and meats.

Toward the end of the day, guests are offered a glass of sherry before they move on to one of the island's fine restaurants for dinner.

Country Inns: Green and Gedney Farm

Join us on a visit to the Old Inn on the Green and Gedney Farm in historic New Marlborough, Mass.


In this tranquil Berkshires village, the restored Old Inn on the Green and Gedney Farm lets guests step back in time to enjoy a sense of New England's rural past. Built in 1760 and later renovated in the Greek Revival style, the Old Inn on the Green originally served as New Marlborough's tavern, inn, general store, and, from 1806 until the mid-1940s, post office. Gedney Farm was established some 60 years later as a working dairy.

"This is God's part of the Berkshires," comments Brad Wagstaff as he describes the late-18th-century village of New Marlborough, Mass. As owners of the Old Inn on the Green and Gedney Farm, Brad and his wife, Leslie, treasure the gentle pace and architectural authenticity of the village.

Calling on Brad's restoration skills and Leslie's culinary talents, the couple transformed the property's historic buildings into an inviting Berkshires retreat . . . making The Old Inn on the Green the nucleus of New Marlborough even today.

Historic Charm


Formerly the village dairy barn, Gedney Farm is now one of four structures that provide guest lodging on the 60-acre propetry. Innkeepers Leslie and Bradford Wagstaff restored the buildings to retain a sense of history, yet provide warmth and comfort for guests. The entrace hall and lobby, shown here, combine natural chestnut timbers and wide-plank pine floors with newly wheat-tinted plaster walls and blue trim accents. Three patterned kilims line the 135-foot-long lobby, providing visitors with a most impressive welcome.

Country Comfort


The dormer window, support timbers, and wide-plank yellow pine floorboards in this room are remnants from the barn's original hayloft, now converted into simply furnished guest bedrooms. Since the room features the same wheat-colored walls as the lobby, the Wagstaffs chose simple furnishings--red swagged drapery panels, a Shaker-like bedside table and mismatched floor lamps--to create intimate, charming guest quarters. In addition to the decorative bedcovers and throws, most rooms feature a fireplace constructed of local granite. Antique Throw: Laura Fisher

Dining on the Green


The traditional Windsor chairs and candlelit table setting of the 100-seat dining room make the Old Inn on the Green a favorite of guests and locals alike. The mural that graces the wall behind the table represents the tranquil village green and is one of several local landmarks depicted in the primitive style. Local artist Bart Arnold painted the scene in 1984.