Grapevine House preserves small town charm
By Joanne Lehman
In 1919, Sherwood Anderson wrote about a fictional town called Winesburg, Ohio. His village was home to a cast of quirky characters who still weave their spell on literary minds. When he wrote, Anderson may not have known about the other Winesburg, Ohio, a small settlement halfway across the state from Crestline, the model for his fictional town. Today, guests visiting the Holmes County area enjoy staying overnight in the real Winesburg, Ohio. The Grapevine House Bed & Breakfast is a classic country home where guests have been entertained for many generations.
Tim and Jean Hostetler restored this comfortable historic 1834 home in 1995 while carefully preserving the ambiance of a bygone era. The home was built just seven years after the village was founded. Jean Hostetler said that although they’ve tried to trace the history of the home and its previous owners, it is hard to know for sure who has lived there. “People used to just trade houses without recording deeds, so we can’t be sure who all the former residents were.”
As in the past, many people today call The Grapevine House home - if only for a few nights. Guests will enjoy the spacious rooms appointed with locally handcrafted furnishings and queen beds. The owners have restored this comfortable historic home while preserving key architectural details, such as original plank floors and windowsills. Tim Hostetler, a building contractor, refurbished and restored the residence to provide today’s necessary amenities, such as central heating and air, private entrances to all rooms, television in each guest room and a shared up-to-date kitchen and cozy living room available to all. The kitchen gets a lot of use, said Jean Hostetler; people store and reheat leftovers from the generous portions they bring home from area restaurants.
In addition to the main house with its five guest rooms, there are two additional rooms and a sitting room next door in Erma’s House. Tim Hostetler, who went to school in Winesburg, remembers when a spinster schoolteacher named Erma lived there and the house was the target of pranks around Halloween. “When we became the owners, there was no other option - it had to be Erma’s House.” This separate facility also has a sitting room and private baths so it is perfect for a family or friends traveling together.
Connecting the two homes is a large covered porch overlooking perennial gardens, scenic farmland and a barn that now serves as home to caretakers. The property has a long history of hospitality - something the Hostetlers delight in continuing. “Raymond O’Neil, founder and first director of the Cleveland Playhouse, purchased this home in 1927,” said Jean Hostetler. “His wife, Dorothy, and her mother-in-law opened a tea room in what is now the Time and Treasure Trove. The women named their tea room The Grapevine House, which probably originated from the grapes that Winesburg was famous for years ago.” The Hostetlers use the space once occupied by the tearoom for their gift shop. They offer a diverse selection of unique gifts, including clocks, handcrafted stained glass and home accessories. The Time & Treasure Trove is open Monday through Saturday and closed on Sunday.
Complimentary coffee, juice and soft drinks are available to all guests. When guests check in they receive a $5 per person voucher for breakfast at one of six local restaurants, including the Winesburg Cafe, within walking distance of the B&B, Der Dutchman in Walnut Creek, Farmstead Restaurant, Boyd and Wurthmann, Amish Door Restaurant in Wilmot and Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen in Mt. Hope. Guests enjoy having breakfast on their own while they’re out exploring the area.
Just as Sherwood Anderson’s literary influence lived on in the work of writers who knew him such as Hemingway, Faulkner, and Steinbeck, so the real Winesburg, Ohio lives on through generations. Winesburg is a place where hospitality is practiced and good things are preserved and shared with others. Tim Hostetler said that their business has continued to grow throughout the past 15years. Some of the credit for that goes to their satisfied guests, who often return and bring friends. An ideal time to visit might be from December through February when they offer discounted winter rates, but rates here are quite competitive year ‘round.
For reservations, call 888-901-8411. Or visit them on the Web at www.grapevinehouse.com. The Grapevine House B&B is located at 2140 Main Street, Winesburg. Their mailing address is P.O. Box 223, Winesburg 44690.
