Then and Now: 1850 to 2020
“This will just fit. 3rd cover of December Vanity Fair 1915”
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Collections 2B Kroch Library, Box Number 59, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
Grape farming has been in this region since the early 1800’s. It wasn’t until 1860 that the Pleasant Valley Winery was established. It was quickly followed by a number of others and wineries became the long term industry in this area. Mr. Charles D. Champlin was a founding member of the Pleasant Valley Winery; today it remains the oldest operating winery in the Finger Lakes and the first winery in the United States to be Bonded.
According to our home’s Abstract, several generations of the Champlin family have lived in this beautiful house from 1863 to the 1960’s. It then passed to a few other owners and it was showing its age. Within the past ten years (2010-2020) it was lovingly restored and it is once again a prominent house in the community.
We bought the house in 2017, made some accommodations, and created a Bed & Breakfast Inn so that we could share this beautiful home and its history with others.
Although it’s a significantly different scale, Nancy Fitzpatrick, the owner of The Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, echoes our philosophy:
“I think the future of historic inns is brighter and brighter because they become rarer and rarer every year and it’s amazing that as much as we treasure them very few people are willing to make the investment in the years of nurturing that it takes to build up your market or the investment of the money it takes to sensitively restore these properties.”
We have thoroughly enjoyed meeting and hosting our guests and we hope to host you soon as well.
Safe Travels,