The Peace and Plenty Inn on Chichester Road may be the oldest structure in what is now called the Whitman Heritage Corridor. Built in 1680, the long red shingle house, covering about 3,500 square feet on 2.3 acres, once served as a town meeting hall, a tavern and rest stop for travelers on horseback. The house, with its interesting period features, offers a history lesson about earlier times. There is a hinged wall that swings out to open up the largest room, used to make space for town meetings and community events; a winding narrow box staircase; and a taproom where drinks were served to patrons of the inn, who included Theodore Roosevelt and Walt Whitman. Eliphalet Chichester, born in 1737, was a Revolutionary War soldier, and is buried on a hill not far from the inn.

Jesse Merritt wrote in 1925...   'Visit the West Hills in springtime when the buds crown nature in glorious attire. Here nature is at its supremacy. Nowhere is woodland more sublime. Visit the hills in dogwood time. Nowhere is spring as vivid, nor the touch of quaintness as striking as here. Here are miles of quietness, dirt roads, which are resplendent with every hue which comes when the first sap flows. . . . Go to the West Hills and know! But be quiet as you go and then others may know, too.'

Our classmate Lavinia Simons Ycas lived in this house from early girlhood to ... not sure, but early 1970s, when parents moved to New Hampshire.  And our classmate Katie Fahnestock got to race around in this incredible piece of history exploring the secret passages & spending the night numerous times.  Anybody remember the Halloween party here where Mr. Simons dressed up like a glowing skeleton???  I know Katie F. almost lost her cookies when she got cornered in the living room with Mr. Simons going, 'OOOOH!!! OOOH!' until I think he had mercy on me and went off to terrify the more solid attendees of the party!



Posted By: Vaughn - 06-17-2008
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