As you approach our property coming out of the pine plantation drive, you’ll see our gates with “Aspen Hall” on them. Just in case you thought you were lost, you’ve made it!
…early morning fog at Aspen Hall, looking north, we can see about 30 miles from our house.
Doc walked right in front of me while I was trying to take a picture of the house, from behind our (ancient, 150 year old!) apple trees, you can see the kennel to the right in the background (when it was under construction). We have pruned the old orchard, and now we have apples and pears growing on our trees! For you history buffs, keep reading and I’ll fill you in on the history of Aspen Hall and our property!
History: Aspen Hall is in Bradford Co. PA, and was originally a property owned by the Webber family, the one owner, being a revolutionary war veteran, was granted the property, as part of his payment as a soldier (we found out many were given 100 acres after the war, as part of their payment as a soldier) There are several (at least 6) rock foundations on the property, of houses and barns, dating back to the revolutionary war. Historic stone walls cover the property, fencing in historic pastures. Many are still in great shape,and we plan to restore all the stone walls over the years as we live here. The big old trees growing out of the foundations, and the stone walls, are over 150 years old, and helped us date the property somewhat, in our research, along with many pottery sherds, historic glass and bottles, and lots of goodies found in many of the middens, hedgerows, and foundations. We even have an old iron wagon wheel on the property, flat on the ground, with an (at least!) 50 year old tree growing right out of it! Along with the old orchard, we also enjoy a 100 year old, HUGE, lilac tree, which we wish bloomed more than 2 weeks each year!
“Old Post Lane” was closed over 100 years ago, and was deeded back to the land owners, therefore, that is why our house sits right in the middle of the road. The road extends, then, behind our house, and continues over the mountain in the back, forming a heavily shaded, wonderful walking path for us and the labs. It was part of the reason we fell in love with the property (amongst many other things!), and made it an ideal home for Labrador Retrievers. We can walk a full 2- mile, shaded walk, without leaving our property, or fear of any cars “whizzing by as we leap to save our labradors from the speeding humans!!!” We built the house to look historic, although new, and to keep all the old trees and foliage to give a look of “age” to the entire property. We only have new landscaping around the house itself. ( are you all bored yet with my history lesson???) My area of interest, in archaelogy, was historic research of old properties and buildings, and my “fantasy land of work” was Old Williamsburg, VA, during their “architechtural archeology phase” in restoring old buildings to their original appearance and layout. I have a virtual “old williamsburg” in my backyard. I guess you could call it “old Aspen Wall” (the name of the orignal villiage here, in the 1700′s and 1800′s. We actually used to live in the old Aspen Hall post office years ago, which was converted into an old house, which was waaaay to big for us back then! And hard to heat!) Thus, our play on words in naming the property “Aspen Hall“, as many southern landowners called their plantations, and many homes in England were named “____ Hall”)
Still reading this????????? (wow, I’m impressed!) Well, here’s some more pictures to ease your boredom… below, the house, viewed from behind one of the old apple trees in the orchard.
( I know, its hard to see, one of the old stone walls, above…)
“Home is where your dog is…”
Above: you can see the kennel and play yards behind our home
If there aren’t any dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.—Will Rogers