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John and Malinda Anderson loved visiting bed and
breakfasts, so for two years they hunted for an
old home they could open as a B&B.
They had nearly given up when they found
Maplevale Farm, a historic farmhouse just
outside Oxford.
They opened the establishment six years ago, and
this year, they are celebrating the former
home's 150th birthday, giving commemorative mugs
to its guests.
"It was just perfect for us," Malinda, 65, says.
John, 71, revels in the home's history,
recounting for guests the Martindell family's
history - which includes a feud between brothers
Jesse and Richard that forced them to talk
through their sister Louisa.
John also points out the historical artifacts in
the stone pillars on the home's front porch,
including Miami Indian arrowheads and tomahawks
and a candlestick, melted and deformed after
causing a fire that nearly leveled the house in
the 1920s.
The three spacious bedrooms, named after family
members have with televisions and other modern
amenities as well as little touches - a journal
in each for guests to leave a note.
But history isn't the only draw to the charming
brick home, located on two acres of park-like
grounds. Its proximity to Miami University
brings many to the B&B experience for the first
time.
"We just always enjoyed staying at B&Bs. Once we
met (the Andersons), we felt like old friends,
so we just kept coming back," says Donna
Swanstrom, of Crete, Ill., a Chicago suburb.
"They're just the warmest, friendliest people
ever."
Swanstrom and her husband Paul stayed at
Maplevale three or four times while their
daughter attended Miami.
Not all guests share that connection.
"We get people who just want to get away, people
who come and do nothing all day long but sit and
relax and never leave the place," Malinda says.
The busiest weekends, however, are tied to Miami
events - move-in, family visits and graduation.
Gayle and Dick Burdick of Anderson Township
stayed three or four times a year while visiting
their daughter at school.
"If you're going up for a weekend, you want to
be with your child as much as you can. We felt
like it was a lot more fun to be a part of the
campus life, and staying there made it
possible," says Gayle.
And Dick looked forward to the Sunday morning
breakfasts.
"They never forgot what you told them from visit
to visit," Dick says. "John's a great listener,
and he always knew your story and would bring it
up when he found people with common interests."
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Built 150 years ago,
Maplevale Farm was the home of the Martindell family. Its owners, John and
Malinda Anderson, share many stories about the house around the breakfast table
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The place: Maplevale
Farm Bed & Breakfast, 3891 Oxford-Millville Road, Oxford.
The directions:
Take I-75 North to I-275 west. Take Exit 33, U.S. 27, north for about 20 miles.
The B&B is on the left just before you enter Oxford.
The tab:
For current pricing for two people
Click
Here; includes a full home-cooked breakfast. Payment is by
cash, MasterCard, Visa or traveler's checks.
Stay a while:
The three-bedroom B&B has a two-night honeymoon/anniversary package that
includes dinner at one of the local restaurants and a "Mugs, Massage and Movie"
package for two nights that includes massages and movie tickets.
Extras:
When visiting a Miami student, the student is welcome for breakfast at no extra
charge. John Anderson provides history of the farm, its former owners and pieces
of antique furniture and artwork in the home to anyone interested. |
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