Friday, August 15, 2008

William Henry Miller Inn-- better than a drug store



I have been writing up a storm here which means I am spending less time with my photographs over at Flickr. Today I decided to do both--- post some photos then blog about it. On our way up to Jazz in Rochester, we stayed over night at the William Henry Inn in Ithaca, which was close to the church I recently blogged about.

Sometimes things work out nicely. Drive into a town you were to once before, but not for over 10 years. Turn here, turn there. Park. Get out and see your Bed and Breakfast across the street. Head off for lunch, but lunch is another post which will feature a very cool mosaic.

I think this is about preserving what is good and right in the world. Apparently Lansdale once had a very cool historic inn, but right before we got to town it was torn down for a drug store. As a connection... in its final operation it had been a tapas bar, which is one of the reasons we went to Ithaca, not the place with the mosaic.

Anyway, it seems that drug stores have a tendency to tear down historic buildings in this part of the state. I don't have money to buy them to save them... well I did buy a home that is over 100 years old...

Anyway, we do support some who do work to preserve what is good and beautiful in the world... and we do this by having a budget whose 5th highest category is donations.
  1. The Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia
  2. The Lansdale Historical Society-- an organization that mourned the demolition

These places point out what is endangered, what can be seen, and keep stories alive from our past. There are places we can not afford to stay in, but there are also some historic places we can afford. Maybe that means a shorter vacation, less souvenirs, or whatever. But we love these historic places and so we put out limited money where our passion flows. and yes the breakfast surrounded by amazing stained glass was quite an experience. Lansdale lost their inn, Ithaca still has theirs.

below are some stained glass shots I took with the permission of the current owner.














6 comments:

  1. Whew! You're moving too fast for me, Wayne. It's obvious that I have already stepped into the school year and you are still enjoying the break. I'm loving these little jaunts that you and the wife are sharing with us. Beth has always been into the beach and surf and sun; and I've never minded that choice of relaxation as long as I can view it from the fifth floor veranda during the day. My preference, however, is "exploration" and I would love it no matter the location be some small historic town or simply a walk through nature. Have fun, my friend, with as few days remaining until the next voyage with your students....

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  2. trying to slow down and will most likely take a day off from posting, which gave me time to clean the kitchen floor.

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  3. What a wonderful commitment on your part. Great shots, too!

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  4. GG-- We walked in and saw all the glass so I knew I would be asking to take photos.

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  5. Lovely images of the inn and the stained glass. I'm glad you've given up trying to buy up all the old historic places to save them from drug chains. To focus on supporting groups that do this and memorializing them in photos seems a more financially viable option.

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  6. beryl-- Thanks for coming back. yes, it is financially more solvent and it is also an emotional lift of an incredible burden... better option all around.

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