Charlene and I have one favourite attraction over all others: heritage homes. Be it a log cabin in the woods and learn the story of the first settlers to the vast and opulent mansions of the incredibly rich.
When I am making plans for a new destination, my research does show me what to expect. I see the pictures others make, read a review or two, and definitely read up on the site’s website. Very rarely am I surprised when I arrive. But Chalene has no idea where we are going or what we are seeing. It is a surprise for her each time we arrive somewhere new.
Stan Hywett Hall and Garden surprised me and left me awe-struck. And that is because I did minimal research when planning our Celebrating The Queen’s Birthday In A Foreign Country trip. Compared to many other planned trips, I did not invest the time in finding new places to discover. Since I purchased my membership to the Royal Botanical Garden and the Detroit Institute of Arts, I have been basing a lot of travel time going to all the reciprocal sites that are free to visit because of these memberships.
I had decided to go to the Akron and Mansfield area because there were several “free to me” places to see. When I saw that Stan Hywett Hall and Garden was open for viewing when we wanted to go, I looked at one picture to confirm this was a place we would like to see and the ground map so I could have an estimation of the time we would need to tour the site. I had almost as much information on this location as Charlene does, and that is next to none.
Because of this, not knowing what to expect, I was gob-smacked when we arrived. The place was huge, incredibly decorated, and filled with treasures the family had collected over the years. Because I did not know what to expect, each room, hallway, nook and cranny filled me with the joy of discovery that Charlene gets when we find a new place. I am not saying that researching a place to visit diminishes the joy of travelling, but rather that I was surprised how wonderful it would be to be rich.
Ah, to be rich.
The rich need someplace to live.
But what are they going to build?
The story goes that the couple wanted to build a home for themselves. They decided on an English Manor. Where is the best place to study English Manors? In England, of course. Over the course of a month or so, they collected pictures, paintings and diagrams, visited several notable places, and probably took a few photos along with hundreds of notes, all while touring the English countryside. They combined all they liked, found someone who could design their vision, and had their family home built.
Incredible does not come close to describing what they desired and what we saw on our tour of the mansion. Unlike other places we have visited, where the family might stay there for a few weeks or never visit at all, this was intended to be home and felt like home.
The attention to detail is extraordinary. Everywhere we looked, there was something to see. Expertly carved woodworking, paintings, pictures, and furnishings, something that demanded to be seen and yet respectfully did not impose itself. The English theme ruled throughout the home and came to its fullest in the music room. Quite possibly the most extraordinary music room we have ever witnessed. Our entire house would fit in it. We spent most of our time in this room, much of which I spoke to a volunteer about. I asked how one cleans the chandeliers. Her description and how the conversation progressed led me to believe that cleaning a mansion was a fun social event. Yet, incredible detail and care are needed to clean each one-of-a-kind artifact, but it is done in a fun and lighthearted way that I wish Akron was not so far away from home where I could volunteer and help clean.
I know—it’s a crazy thought. Who in their right mind wants to clean? I hate cleaning my own place, so why would I volunteer to clean someone else’s home? Just let me say that the volunteer who told us about the room was very convincing.
With many mansions of this grandeur, there are beautiful grounds to accompany them. Our favourite section was the enclosed English Garden. Despite being beside the mansion, it felt like it was far away in its own place.
These grounds once totalled 3,000 acres, but only 70 acres remain. Walking the grounds is a delight in itself. We arrived early in the spring when so many flowers were coming into bloom. With our membership, we would be free to return time and time again to see the gardens progress through the seasons.
After we finished our tour of this fabulous location, I was reminded of that nagging question: what would our place look like if money was no object? Finally, after touring many different places with different designs, “I know exactly how I will design our home now!” I said with determined glee to my wife. She was unhappy that I made such an important decision without including her. I continued unabated and told her that since we could not agree on one house style, we would have all the styles. Each wing of the home will be in its own theme. A Roman wing, a Japanese wing, an English wing, a space-themed wing, a Christmas wing, a Halloween wing and so on. I am unsure if she approved this plan, but we immediately bought a lottery ticket once we got home. It will be the only way a school bus driver and a retail worker will ever own a home of this magnificence.
- Stan Hywett Hall and Gardens is open much of the year.
- The gardens are tourable with a separate admission if that is something that is desired.
- Membership is offered for free access all year long.
- Expect to spend several hours here.
- Check out All The Places We Have Been Map for directions and a link to this location.
