Today we started out with the intention to visit two places: Stan Hywet (pronounced Stan Hee-wet), and the National Inventors' Hall of Fame., both in Akron, OH. First on the agenda was Stan Hywet, the former home of the founder of Goodyear Rubber, Fred Sieberling. We told Bambi to take us there, a feat which she has accomplished admirably throughout our trip (or for at least 95% of the time). But the city of Akron had other plans for us. Only .3 of a mile from our destination, we came to a road block--a literal road block due to construction. There were no signs or information as to how to detour around it to our destination, ands Bambi wasn't any help either, always rerouting us to the spot of the blockage. Brain power to the rescue! Ray figured our way around this, and we set off to explore.
Betweeen 1912 and 1915, Fred Sieberling and his wife, Gertrude built a country estate in Akron, and called it Stan Hywet, Old English for "Stone Quarry". Set on 70 acres of landscaped grounds and gardens, the 65 room, 25 bathroom Manor House is of English Tudor design. But it has many modern conveniences (for the time it was built) like phones and central heating, and in the kitchen, a steam table, electric refrigerators, and a gas/coal/wood cooking range. We opted for a guided house tour. Although the house was as hot as an oven (the day was in the steamy 90s, and the house had no air conditioning), and Ray just about had to pour me out of the house at the end of the tour, it was interesting. More impressive , though, were the gardens and conservatory. Amazing to both of us, was the fact that the Sieberlings used this house as a 3-season residence--all but summer. Yet the gardens were always maintained, even though they were never here to enjoy them at their summer peak. And they truly are spectacular. The conservatory as it exists today is a replication of the original style that was originally built for fruit and flower growing. We checked out the butterfly exhibition at the conservatory. Also of note, is that Stan Hywet is the the place where Alcoholics Anonymous was born in 1935. Beautiful grounds, interesting home.
We were two of the last people ushered from the grounds of the property at 4:30. By then, it was too late to consider the Inventors' Hall of Fame. After considering our options, we decided to get home on Saturday, and so, headed to Rochester to retrieve Jerry. We'll stay there tonight, and head home Saturday.
Thanks for following our blog. It's not done yet though. Check in tomorrow for other observations that may not have been mentioned on previous days. I'm hoping to get the photos out in batches, and will link on each blog entry the place to see the photos for that day.
See photos of the day here.
Love you all,
Carol
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