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Another pleasurable activity in Ohio’s Vacationland!

2013-03-18T00:37:51Z

The southern shores of Lake Erie and points south of is home to tens of thousands of migratory songbirds. This tremendous volume and diversity also brings human throngs as well as bird watchers.

The birds are attracted to and because of the vast open waters, ample marshlands and wetlands as well as the woodlands dotting the area. It is in these places birds find shelter and food during their spring and fall migrations. Many of the nearly 400 species use this area as their breeding grounds and thus perpetuate future flocks’ yearly return.

“Birders”, as the bird-watching people are known, have multiple access locations by which to observe this wonderment of nature along the Lake Erie Birding Trail. These locations include the Oak Openings, the Western Lake Erie Marshes, the Lake Erie Islands, the Sandusky Bay, the Huron & Lorain areas and the Cleveland and the Ashtabula areas. Each of these has multiple sites totaling an amazing 80 plus observation points.

This entertaining and affordable activity can be enjoyed by families, professionals and novices alike. For more information you may log on to
http://www.ohiobirds.org/site/searchresults.php?q=Lake+erie+birding.

Harpster-Davenport Guest House welcomes back the birds and the birders!

How It All Began in the 1820's

2013-03-18T00:19:00Z

Harpster-Davenport House

The story of the

Later the territory north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River was to be sold via land patents issued by the United States federal government, then know as the Confederate Congress. This was accomplished via the passage of “The Land Ordinance of 1785”. The U.S. government surveyed this new massive area and each of the smaller pieces, known as townships, were further sub-divided into 320-acre parcels called sections. These sections were sold to the public at the sum of $1.00 per acre. Once sold the new owner was given a paper document proving payment and ownership, which was called a land, patent. This land patent was typically hand-signed by the president of the United States. On April 24^th, 1820 Mr. Samuel Sparrow bought a one-quarter section or eighty acres of which this home now sits upon. Over time further land sales continued to various owners until these grounds finally came into the possession of Mr. David Harpster. He, like so many immigrants to the Ohio Lands, came here from Pennsylvania. He was accompanied by his mother and two brothers.

Our research indicates this home, a Greek Revival, was built ca. 1842 by David Harpster and his two brothers Jacob and John. David’s brothers also built homes, which still exist today and are within eye site across the fields to the northwest and northeast. Today, most all the original family members are buried in a cemetery three miles south of here and adjacent to the Seneca Caverns.

One of the interesting stories about the Harpsters is that the three brothers and one other local gentleman began a small in-home church service, which rotated in turn from one home to the next. Over scores of years it eventually became the Bellevue.

Another piece of historical information is that this home was one of only a few to be depicted in the 1893 Sandusky County Atlas. These renderings were of a type called steel engravings. In the engraving you can see Mr. and Mrs. Harpster outdoors. She is waving “good-bye” to a female friend of hers as the friend travels down the road aboard a horse-drawn carriage. Mr. Harpster is seen walking back north to the big barn to attend to more chores. It would appear they had all just finished eating lunch and catching up on the latest local news together.

In 2006 we began our quest to find a home for the two of us. On a whim, we decided to come to Bellevue to see what later would become our home. This home. After walking through and around it we headed to our, then present, home in Norwalk. That evening and the following day we discussed what we had seen, heard and felt at the old brick farm house in Bellevue. The more we talked the more we understood that ole’ place felt like home and then decided to…make an offer. To our elation it was accepted. Then the real work began! We have modified it while attempting to keep the flavor of a period home with “conveniences”.

Someone before us had turned the second floor level into an apartment. Not wanting to rent it out per say, we decided to create a unique living quarters for travelers. Hence, today, you are seeing, feeling and hearing what we did upon our first walk-through. That is namely the peace and serenity of a 168 year old farmhouse in a rural country setting in northern Ohio.

We hope you enjoy it!

Paul and Janell Davenport

Dancing Fox Cabin is Getting Closer to Opening Day!

2012-04-01T01:05:48Z

Welcome to the Dancing Fox Cabin
Opening July 1, 2012

Paul and Janell have added a new concept in vacation rental accommodations for travelers visiting the north coast area. For us, combining the idea of building a small, efficient cabin and using reclaimed materials went hand in hand with our goal of being environmentally friendly and providing a unique, one of a kind accommodation.

Its main theme falls into the genre of a rustic cabin built almost exclusively with repurposed materials found in the surrounding Bellevue area. Its broad appeal is to those who seek truly unique accommodations as well as those who appreciate local historical implications all within the framework of New Age attitudes and the dynamics of “Going Green”. The cabin’s rustic structure and everything relative to it on the exterior and contents were built or decorated with 95+% recycled-repurposed-reincarnated materials. A complete list of those materials and their origins is available upon request as documentation. This concept has been fully realized while simultaneously creating a welcoming and comfortable environment with cost-conscience rates. The ambiance created while staying at the Dancing Fox cabin will include feelings of inspirational, timelessness, thought-provoking, well-being and so very many more. It may awake senses you haven’t experienced before.

In keeping strides with our eco-friendly environment, we provide you with the most earth-friendly products available. Cleaning products and laundry supplies are all natural, biodegradable or recycled. The bed linens feature eucalyptus tree and cotton blends and all toiletry and paper goods are 100% recycled paper and coffee and teas are Fair Trade. We are a pet free and smoke free interior environment and even portions of our landscaping is composed of trees and plants donated from local abandoned farm fields and neighboring woods. This touches just a few points about our eco-friendly setting. We are committed to continually evaluating our operations in order to employ more environmentally friendly methods of providing the best service to our guests. We believe that each initiative we pursue with the help of our guests, no matter how small, helps to preserve our town for future generations.

Dancing Fox Cabin amenities include sleeping capacity for 4-6 persons, queen size log frame bunk beds, modest size but well equipped kitchen, a completely secure environment, six-person outdoor hot tub, old-world style pergola with fire pit and campfire wood, picnic table in courtyard with grill, ample parking and storage for bicycles and additional gear.

Both the Dancing Fox cabin and the Harpster-Davenport Guest House are also available to the public for extended stay purposes. Examples would include business travelers, church members, those relocating to the area and others requiring secure, lovingly furnished and affordable accommodations.

For more information or to reserve a few nights for quiet rest in the
Dancing Fox Cabin, please call: 419-602-1009.
Watch for our website coming in June 2012: www.dancingfoxcabin.com

What is a Guest House?

2011-03-24T23:09:00Z

The Feeling of "Home Away from Home"

Many Americans are not yet familiar with the term “guesthouse”. This article will attempt to convey what a guesthouse is and is not and why you should seriously consider utilizing them in your travel plans. Guesthouses are a well-known and very popular form of lodging in Europe, Japan, Africa and elsewhere and have been in use for many decades. That popularity demonstrates the convenience, comfort and affordability of this type of lodging.

A typical guesthouse is a privately owned, single-family residence, which in part or whole, has been converted into living quarters for travelers. The owners quite often live on-site but in separate and also private quarters. They are in that respect similar to an inn, hostel, lodge or bed and breakfast. The primary difference between those types of lodging and a guesthouse is that guests are not provided with prepared meals. They are, however, provided with well-stocked kitchens equipped with all the necessary items by which to prepare and serve their own meals short of the food itself. One obvious advantage to that scenario is an unlimited choice of meals to suit your taste. Other very important benefits are you are not subjected to set times of eating, having to eat with strangers and your clothing may be whatever you feel comfortable with at any moment. Therefore if you want to get up in the middle of the night in your pajamas and munch on some of your favorite goodies… you can! If your morning routine calls for coffee and toast at 4:30 am…you can! If you would like to raid your refrigerator and eat on the couch while watching television…you can! (Of course you may also dine out or have something delivered.) There are no rules, schedules or pressure. As the guest you come, go and do whatever and whenever you desire. It is in affect your very own home away from home. A guesthouse also affords you with a living room, bedroom, dining room, private bath, bedding and linens. Now you too can begin to see why this form of lodging is so very popular around the world.

With that explanation in mind we would like to invite you to stay with us at our ca.1842, country guesthouse here in north central Ohio just outside of Bellevue. It is named the Harpster-Davenport Guest House. For a complete explanation and viewing of our guest house’s amenities, rates, advantages and location you will want to visit our website www.harpsterdavenportguesthouse.com.

Your hosts, Paul and Janell Davenport look forward to seeing you!