Country Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast, Mount Joy, PA. Lancaster County

Gracious Lodging in Rural Lancaster County

Welcome to the
Country Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast
1780 Donegal Springs Road
Mount Joy, Pennsylvania 17552
Innkeepers
Terry & Barbara Stephens
(717) 653-0935 or Toll Free (866) 653-0935
Email: brguest@countryfarmhouse.net

The Ultimate Collectible
By Rick Moran
The Leader, Locust Valley NY 11560 (http://www.the-leader.com)

Country Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast

What is the ultimate collectible? I have had several discussions on that matter over the years and I suppose the ultimate answer is whatever you really enjoy collecting, but here is a suggestion you may not have heard before; why not collect the ultimate antique, a fine old house?

That is what two new friends of mine have done. Four years ago, Barbara and Terry Stephens where living in a nice home near Philadelphia. They were in the process of considering retirement options when the idea struck them; why not open a Bed & Breakfast? They both loved people and antiques, why not combine the two?

Barb and Terry looked all over for a suitable place, from Georgia and D.C. to New England, finally finding their 1718-1834 prize in Mount Joy, PA. Not too many "antiques" can claim multiple birthdays, but the Country Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast, certainly can. The original building, a pioneer cabin and trading post is still on the spot, proven by a great collection of artifacts the host and hostess have found over the last few years.

The original cabin had a cellar with what is called an Indian Ceiling, a floor in the cabin of wood, followed by a deep layer of compressed earth and another layer of stout wood that acted as the ceiling for the cellar. If hostiles burned down the original log cabin, the Indian Ceiling would protect the residents, safely tucked away beneath ground from the flames above. The cabin also had slotted windows and doors that gave the occupants a way to fire muskets at attackers with some degree of protection. All of this was evident from the remains of the original cellar, now in the later 1834 basement.

The house was also a stop on the Underground Railroad and the remains of a bricked up arch that presumably leads to an escape tunnel and living space is still very evident in that same basement.

But the real fun isn't in the basement, it is in the B&B itself, with rooms filled with antiques and collectibles and the hospitality of the Stephens family, who can tell you all about the myriad of antique dealers and vendor collections in the area. Barb, who traveled and continues to travel across the eastern seaboard in search of treasures, is always on hand to offer directions and her read on the best and worst places to shop for antiques in Lancaster County. And I should mention, if there is something in your room that you just can't live without, Barb will sell it to you!

This part of Lancaster is very unique; Terry found while excavating a drainage line, several Civil War military artifacts, including parts of a Union officer's mess kit, which he will gladly show you. In the days following Gettysburg, just about 30 miles southwest, there was a large encampment around the house, which is now occupied by cows and corn.

So, when you are considering your next personal antiques road show, consider The Country Farm House. Rates are extremely reasonable, includes a fantastic candle-lite breakfast and ambiance you will be writing home about, amid some of the nicest period antiques you will ever see. As Terry says, "You will always forget a stay in a motel, but you'll always remember a night in a B&B."

So, go see the ultimate collectible. For more information, call Terry or Barbara at (717) 653-0935, go to their website, http://www.countryfarmhouse.net.