Extraordinary Stories From An Ordinary Guy: The "Lancaster's Conestoga House & Gardens" Story

Entrance to the Estate. Click to enlarge.

It was an ordinary day. Sunny, but with a slight chill in the air since fall is upon us once again. I am standing in the midst of one of the most beautiful homes I have ever seen at 1608 Marietta Avenue. The estate was the home of the late James Hale and Louise Steinman of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Steinman's bought the property in 1927 and had architect Frank Everts modify the estate to suit their needs. What I am standing near today is the results of the many additions and modifications that were made.

Walking toward the home.

Three years after the Steinmans moved into the house, the Philadelphia firm of Mellor and Meigs designed and developed the formal exterior areas which included a swimming pool, stables and the many gardens and walkways that make this house an amazing piece of architecture. I was one of maybe 20 or so other visitors today who had a chance to walk around the exterior of the home and view the fall gardens as well as visit the pool and other outdoor courtyards. I can't imagine what this property must have looked like a few months ago with all the flowers blooming, but many fall blooms still added to my trip through the 20 acres of paradise.

Rear of house with 7 car garage.

The plantings include over 3,300 annuals, 400 tropical plants, 160 perennials and over 160 rose bushes which represent almost 20 different varieties of the flower. I read that the plants are identified and labeled with both botanical and common names, but I had a hard time finding the tags due to the huge size of the plants. A crew of four gardeners oversee the flowers and gardens on the property. I also found a few of the dozen or so whimsical figures that are spread throughout the gardens. If you make a visit, there is a suggested path to follow, but after a few stops along the way, I just explored the rest of the property on my own.

The front of the home with flower boxes.

The pool area is amazing with manicured grass covering all the areas around the 60-foot pool which looked very inviting, but was closed for swimming. Close to the pool was a restored lime kiln which at one time was used to smelt limestone. Another interesting greenhouse was the orangeries which is an early style greenhouse that was developed in Italy in the 1500s to house citrus plants. The windows can be removed during the summer months and replaced in the colder months,

The beautiful pool area.

Most of the property is covered in lush grass with stone stairs going from one level to the next on the sloped property. No matter which direction you go, it seems that there is always a covered area with seating at the end of the pathway for relaxation before you continue on your way toward the next area of the property. The rose garden was still in bloom and a great place to take photos as was the water garden that had a few koi swimming in the murky waters. I read online that the property is Lancaster's version of Longwood Gardens which has a world-class arboretum and conservatories.

One of many creations on the property.

The entire time I was exploring the grounds I kept thinking to myself...I'm glad I don't have to mow all this grass and pick all the weeds from the gardens. My visit was self-guided, but you may request a guide for larger groups. Their home was not open to the public today, but my wife did have a chance to see the estate home of the Steinmans during a visit a few years ago. The exterior is amazing, but what impressed me the most were the window boxes that seemed to be at every window on the estate. Can't imagine the amount of upkeep that is required just for the window boxes. If you live within driving distance, you can find the place at. 1608 Marietta Ave in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Their phone number, if you care to check on times they are open, is 717-397-5353. Enjoy yourself, just as I did! It was another extraordinary day in the life of n ordinary guy. PS - The following photos will give you a better idea of the magnitude of the floral gardens as well as the home.