THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE

THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
 This morning was  perfect for taking pictures! Coolish and overcast. It had rained most of the day yesterday so everything was green and lush.
 I have never really shown pictures of the whole front of StoneGable on my blog… only snippets. And I have never shared StoneGable’s rich history. Our home is 20 years old this year! Bobby and I built it on a gorgeous plot of farm field!
So dressed in my pj’s and crocks with a camera in hand I went across the street and into the neighboring farm field to share StoneGable on an early late spring morning…
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 A few disclaimers first….sorry about the telephone lines going across the pictures… we live in the country and still have lots of telephone poles and lines! I could not edit them out.
And the grass needs to be mowed… a job Bobby is doing this afternoon. He would frown about pictures of StoneGable with tall grass… but he’s not home right now to frown!
And lastly, I’m not quite sure why our American flag is lower than the state flag… a big no no. I think it’s in the wrong flag pole hole. The American flag should always fly higher than any other flag.
Now that that’s out of the way…
A familiar image of StoneGable… 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 This picture was taken standing on the edge of the side yard looking towards the front door.

I think it gives a good size perspective of our home.

We light up the gable at night… can you see the little box on the porch roof. It is a floodlight. Our home can be seen for miles away at night. I love driving home and seeing the lit up gable.

THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
The stone on the bottom half of our home is Pennsylvania limestone. It is the bedrock of Lancaster county! When we drilled our well we went through 400 ft of limestone. It makes our water dreadfully hard but also very delicious!
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 StoneGable is a modern farmhouse inspired home.  We sit in the middle of farm fields. We thought a farmhouse inspired home would suite this land best.
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
The downstairs of StoneGable has a foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen, breakfast nook, family room and powder room, office, laundry room, mud room and back bathroom.
Upstairs we have 5 bedrooms a sitting room and 3 full baths.
Part of our basement is finished and the rest is not. Someday I am going to turn the finished part of the basement into a sewing and craft room… someday! It has a fabulous “toy closet”, just perfect for holding all my supplies. When the children were young the finished basement was where they would hang out with their friend!
 
The second front door leads to my study and a secondary set of stair up to our guest suite and a bathroom. I’ve often thought that this area of my home would be perfect for a B&B!
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
The small gable over our garage is part of the guest suite! I love this room. It has such amazing pitches and peaks. It’s on our list to redo in 2017.
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
This is the side porch.  We can access it from the living room. I must remind Bobby to hand our second American flag from it.  
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
StoneGable has a big wrap porch on three sides. We make good use of this living area!
I have lots of great plans for the porch… if will stop raining I can start painting and decorating! We have had rain for almost 2 weeks!
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
It’s windy here at StoneGable. Even this morning there is a little breeze. We sit high up on the land… sorta on a crest of a hill, although our property is pretty flat.
When I first stepped foot onto this land I knew it would be our home. You just know some things!
 The view is marvelous… if you like farmland views!
We call the side yard the “croquet lawn”.  When we first planted the trees they looked so small… now they are tall and sturdy. The tree in the foreground is a sugar maple and the tree flanking the croquet lawn are red maples.
You can see our neighbors barn in the background between the trees and the side porch.
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
 Here is a better picture of the farm. I used my telephoto lens!
Our land is rich in history.
The land we live on was originally settled by the Shawnee and Susquehannock Indians.
It was granted to William Penn in 1681 and named Pennsylvania or Penn’s Woods.
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
Our land was part of the original land (Lancaster Co.) settled by Hans Herr in 1708. It was considered the western front of Pennsylvania at that time. The original Hans Herr house is about 2 miles from us. It is a Lancaster county and national treasure.
 
One of Hans Herr’s direct descendants lives in the farm below. We bought our land from him. As far as I know this land has belonged to the Herr family until we bought it.
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
All the land around us is Pennsylvania AG preserved. It can never be used for anything other than farming.  We will always have our bucolic view!
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
I love the view from the front porch.  It is always changing… the fields are fallow so far this year. Last year it held neat rows of tall corn. Corn is my favorite crop! It makes all kinds of wonderful sounds when the wind blows through it! Do you know that on hot summer days you can actually hear the corn growing? It sorta pops!
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
 StoneGable gets its name from the center stone gable on our home.
We had a name stone engraved for the gable… this is an old Lancaster Co. tradition.  When the gable  is lit up at night you can read the name plate!
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
 
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 
 I always say, “StoneGable is a home that wraps it’s arms around your heart”. 
StoneGable is not only a home but a lifestyle. It’s easy and earthy and friendly and slow and large and full of life and laughter.
StoneGable’s front door is always open to friends… old and new!
 
THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE

This summer, I hope to bring you other unseen views of StoneGable and more of its history

I think every home has a story. What is the history of your home?

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THE HISTORY OF STONEGABLE
 

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92 Comments

  1. I love this post about your beautiful home! I have been reading your blog for a long time and it is my very favorite. I live in York County, PA in a home with a similar feel to yours and I am always so inspired by your style! Thank you for taking the time to inspire so many of us!

    1. Hi Ann-Marie! I love York county!We are Pa neighbors! There’s nothing like our part of the country!

  2. Thank you so much for the views of your beautiful surroundings. When you decide to open a bed and breakfast, I want to be your first customer!!

  3. Such a gorgeous farmhouse!

  4. I loved this too and how I agree with you, our home is also “not only a home but a lifestyle.” The farm views are wonderful. Best of all perhaps that you fell in love with the piece of land and that you built it yourself, this is entirely your making and your vision. Coming from a country and living in a country where houses are hundreds of years old, I rather like the idea of making your own history for future generations.

  5. Just gorgeous! Yours is my favorite blog. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home!

  6. Loved your post this morning!

  7. Mimi Heard says:

    Thank you,Yvonne for sharing the pictures of your lovely HOME with us. I have only been following you for about a month, but I have truly enjoyed your blog,especially your Christian insights.
    I live in the DEEP South, but many of our values are the same,and I feel we would be good friends.
    I look forward to your daily posts, and more exciting ideas from Stone Gable.

  8. Marilyn Clark says:

    We are also farmers living on the bank of the Tennessee River in Alabama . We grow corn and soybeans and sometimes cotton!
    Like you, I love the land and our home. Your home is beautiful! Thanks for sharing it with us. I enjoy your blog so much.

  9. Susan Nicholson says:

    Absolutely gorgeous Yvonne! Your home looks so welcoming, as though it has been there for a century. The property is beautiful too.
    Thanks for sharing.

  10. Michelle G says:

    I loved this post! Your home is beautiful! We’ve recently remodeled a 100+ year old farmhouse that has remained in my husband’s family. So much fun! Where did you have your name plate created, I’d love to have one for our house, but you don’t see that too much around us in NC unless it’s more modern in style.

    1. Hi Michelle, we actually took a stone to a local cemetery stone engraver and he did it.

  11. If you didn’t tell that you are located in Pa. one might think you live in the south because of your wonderful porches and beautiful scenery. I have visited several areas near you and felt right at home. I noticed a dark area in Stonegable’s roof. Were the shingles replaced due to storm damage? We had to replace our entire roof a few years ago due to damage from hail. Hope the weather clears soon so you can get busy outside.
    Linda

    1. Hi, Linda, Yes, we get such huge storms here and we have had several places on the roof repaired from those storms. Once we were looking out the front door during a huge storm and saw rows of roof tiles ripping off and blowing all over the lawn. Being out in the middle of farm fields makes us vulnerable to fierce wind!
      When we replace the roof we are thinking metal!

  12. Your home is beautiful, and the outside is jut as beautiful as the surrounding area. I love the fact that it will always be farmland. That is a dream of my mine to live on a propity like yours or close to one like it.
    Be Blessed

  13. Debbie Jones Yetter says:

    Love your home, it is beautiful. My mother was a Pratt from Worcester, Mass., and her father’s
    name was Robert. Her family was in the textile industry.

  14. How wonderful to see all of the outside of your home – I’ve often wondered what it looked like in its’ entirety. Stone Gable is lovely, and I am looking forward to seeing more. Thank you so much for sharing this perspective of your lovely home.

  15. Thanks for sharing, it is absolutely beautiful! We built our home on my husbands family farm(since his great great granddad). It too is now preserved as farmland and so thankful for it. Our home is small but we built when we were very young and just married. Our son now lives with his wife and babies in the original farmhouse of which I love. So thankful for the Lord and his blessings!
    Again, thank you for sharing.
    Blessings,
    Candy

  16. Your home has beautiful stonework and design with rich history! I grew up back east, so seeing the style of your home and the rich green fields brings sweet memories to my heart.

    We usually name the different homes we have lived in too, and I love the name plate tradition.

    Thanks for sharing!

  17. All I can say is: Can I come live with you? Your home is beautiful. I love your blog and I have tried to incorporate many of your ideas in our home. And, I love all your recipes. Thenk you so much. I look forward to your emails everyday.

    1. Wow, Sandy! You made my day! Thanks for being a part of the StoneGable community!

  18. I sure do love PA…my mother’s side of the family is from Huntingdon. Every year we would take Audrey back home to visit all of her family, and spend a week there. Unfortunately this year, we will be making this trip ourselves since she passed in March. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home in God’s Country:)

  19. Avis Cooper says:

    I’ve just finished my second cup of coffee as I visited with you as you shared this history. Thanks. May God continue to bless you in all you do.

  20. GwenCondit says:

    I find it fun to travel through your lens to a different part of America! Free of smog. And stucco track homes we deem to put our stamp upon. But not far is cotton, grapes, corn, carrots, potatoes, almonds, pistachios, Ahhh strawberry fields, and in winter shepherds even bring their sheep to graze. There’s oil and drought yet it rained a bit last night and maybe today? But no. There is little designated farmland. I live where potatoes grew well. But it’s America shore to shore. I’m amazed at the history of the land beneath your feet. Yokuts maybe Chumash lived here. We have a circle in town where Father Garces (Garces Circle–get on when you can to get off where you need) is named for where he rested. Our known history is fairly new. Your region’s area is what my history books were made. So thank you for sharing for Ive no rocks. And lovely green grass growing because of rain? Never heard of in my dry area!!! Drought or not!! It looked gorgeous. And as a small child on a farm in the Midwest in a 100 year old or more house we too had a wrap around screened porch we used lots too. I just remember my Mom painted it every late spring! What beauty in your design and the use of stone.

  21. Yvonne, just lovely but the thing I notice the most is the pride you and Bobby have taken in your home, that tells me you have a very happy home. Have a good weekend and may God Bless you and yours .

  22. Your home is my dream home, Yvonne! I live in Miami, and there are NO homes like yours here; mostly stucco ranch homes and I am a farmhouse girl in the wrong city. So I so look forward to your emails everyday so I can live vicariously! Thank you for sharing your home!

    1. Hi Teresa! Thanks so much for being a part of the StoneGable community!

  23. We always see the rooms inside your home, and now we see the exterior. Wow, it is just gorgeous and equally as stunning on the outside as you have it styled and decorated on the inside. Thank you so much for sharing these pics with us. It sure would make a great B&B.

  24. You said it very well, Yvonne. Your home reminds me of my grandmother’s two story located in the middle of farmland. Of course, yours has a much more modern edge, but my grandmother’s home made you feel welcome, happy, and loved the moment you stepped through the front door. Stonegable conveys that just through pictures! I love your blog and have been following for several years now. I always pop over to Pinterest to see what you are posting. You make my day so many times. Thank you for working hard to bring much inspiration to my life! Your blog is beautiful, inspiring, and heartwarming.

  25. So pretty! Reminds me of all the farm land where I grew up in Indiana. It is hard to find silos and old barns down here in Florida. Thank you for sharing.

  26. Thank you so much for your lovely posts. Yours is the first blog I read each morning and I enjoy it so much. My ancestors were from Lancaster Co. We plan a visit in the fall to try to connect with some of my distant Oyler/Arndt relatives. Have a great summer!

  27. Kelley Basatneh says:

    Yvonne, I absolutely love your beautiful home! My husband and I are from VA but now live in Dallas and we miss all the greenery. We have visited Lancaster co. and have several PA friends in the DC area. PA peeps are the best! May God continue to bless you, Kelley

  28. I really enjoyed your home’s history and photos- and I love that you were so committed to Stone Gable that you put your names on the gable!
    Thank you for sharing your beautiful home and all your home-making expertise! I’ve learned a lot from you!

  29. Ohh so beautiful. And what vision to build a home 20 years ago that remains beautiful & timely today. I’m a real fan of the black shutters too.
    But you mentioned corn, is SG a working farm?

  30. lizianthus says:

    Your home is so lovely and my dream home! I always start my day with a visit to Stone Gable. I try to incorporate your loving thoughtfulness and design in my small California home. A few years ago we visited Lancaster Co. And I truly fell in love with everything about it except maybe the humidity. Thank you for your blog, you inspire me to be creative, make a loving home and be a better person.

    1. Bless your heart Liz, thank you! Yes, summer’s here can be very humid!

  31. I love what you said about your views – I love the views we have here in Altamont, NY – we look out at the escarpment and the views are beautiful.
    My husband and I have been watching a show on Netflix “Heartland” and it reminds me of your views.
    Whenever I see view like you have it gives me such peace.
    Just beautiful.
    Enjoy your weekend
    Rose

  32. I so enjoyed this post! Thanks so much for sharing it. I just love your blog and I read it each week.

  33. Your home is so warm and inviting. A beautiful farm house, and your blog inspires me daily love it.

  34. Yvonne, I enjoyed hearing the history of your beautiful home. Can’t you just sit on that porch and see Gods handiwork. Love every post!

  35. So pretty Yvonne! I love the tradition of the name plate! and no worries to apologize about the lawn, that’s real life… although I can succumb to those thoughts about my own house too. I’ve been meaning to get a more recent picture of our 100 year old house and first had to wait for all the snow to melt, and now have been trying to coordinate with the mowings… 😉 Thanks for sharing your ‘stone gable’ 🙂

  36. Hi Yvonne,

    I live about an hour away from you in Harford County Maryland. We often drive to Lancaster to visit the Farmer’s markets and outlets, but the best part is the trip itself. Lancaster is beautiful. Every season is so pretty, especially the Fall.Your property and home are lovely. Thank you for sharing.

  37. Carol Swanson says:

    Thank you for sharing this info about your home and the area where you live. I live near Forty Fort, Pennsylvania which was also settled very early in Penn’s Woods. You can read about the Battle of Wyoming and my forefather Luke Swetland. He is my grandfather 6 generations back.

    Wyoming Valley has a rich history and is the source of the name for the state of Wyoming as well as various towns further West.

  38. Absolutely perfect! What a treat today to see so much of Stone Gable’s exterior. LOVE the wrap porch. Wish I had one. For now I will daydream about the one I grew up with.

  39. Wendy Johnson says:

    I loved seeing the outside of your house. I echo everything everyone else said. Thank you.

  40. I love the history of the site of your home, you open a B&B and I will be there. You & Bobby have created a lovely home and you would be wonderful hosts and I’m sure provide a great introduction to Pennsylvania to newcomers. This post has brought me back to your blog – thank you, you have great heart.

  41. Absolutely gorgeous. Looks so warm and inviting g.

  42. BOBBI DUNCAN says:

    Yvonne, I am such a history fanatic and so loved the story behind your beautiful property. I can tell you take great pride in the history of your county, a lovely part of PA that we so enjoy visiting. Thanks for sharing. I’ve had enough rain now, albeit everything looks so lush and green. Seems our springtime here carries with it lots of rain. One of the things I really miss about living in Williamsburg was that spring was so perfect and long.

  43. This makes me miss the big farmhouse we built on 10 acres here in the horse country of Lexington, KY. The house had 7000 square feet, and I was a working mom whose husband traveled for work. After six busy years, we sold it and moved to a house half that size. Thanks for sharing that great post.

  44. Karen VanLoo says:

    I absolutely LOVED today’s post! I love seeing the big picture of StoneGable, and your beautiful land that surrounds it. I just love your house, if I could build a dream house in the country, it would be inspired by your lovely home!

  45. Beverly Sherman says:

    In the fall in Michigan when the wind blows the dry corn field fields here have the sound of a taffeta skirt.

    Thank you for sharing with us.

    1. Beverly, that is EXACTLY what I always say about the corn. I say it sounds like a taffeta ball gown rustling.

  46. Oh, my, such an enjoyable post about such a beautiful place. Such a beautiful place!

  47. Yvonne I had spied this post earlier in the week but was so busy that I had no time to savor the reading. Here I am early this morning propped up in bed. My dear husband just set off the smoke alarm cooking my mothers day breakfast but I was undeterred. I absolutely loved reading about the history of Stonegable. My favorite part was of course your name stone. What a truly lovely home and history.

  48. Such a beautiful home. Thank you for sharing it with us all.
    I welcome all of your great recipes and love the blog.
    Happy Mother’s Day to you NS tHANK YOU.

  49. Cheryl Ann says:

    Happy Mother’s Day Yvonne. Thanks for sharing pictures of your beautiful home…actually I love seeing the telephone lines. They are a memory to me of a slower paced life…and if you open a B&B please put me on your list. That would be a treat to stay there!

  50. hi Yvonne- what a beautiful home and property. I read your blog weekly and get lost in the pages and posts Good luck this week when you ask the big question laura {not a trophy wife}

  51. Your beautiful pictures of your home and your inspiring words are greatly appreciated out here in Colorado! I was in your neck of the woods last October, visiting my sis in Etown! We went to Shady Maples on one of the days! Beautiful country!

  52. Oh my goodness; what a dream. Absolutely lovely Yvonne.

  53. Wow, Yvonne your house is so gorgeous! I love the all the stone and the land around you is stunning as well. So glad that you showed this. It’s so nice to see the entire front and be able to picture it now when you are posting pics. You did a really amazing job!

    sheila
    http://www.maisondecinq.blogspot.com

  54. Hello, beautiful home inside and out! I really enjoy your blog. Can you tell us all about those gorgeous hydrangeas in urns on the porch. And all the details! Thank you in advance!

  55. I love your blog and read it often and I believe this piece is one of my favorites. Now I know more of you and that makes me smile. We’re planning to paint our front door, so what paint did you use? I will definitely copy your wreath. Do you have a tutorial?

  56. Hi, I think I first found your pins on pinterest. I absolutely love your style.♡ I was led to your blog tonight by the picture of your beautiful home. I could not believe how similar it looks like mine. :-O No wonder I love your style so much! Our home isn’t quite where I want it to be just yet. My husband and my dad built our home. We moved in just in time for Christmas in 2007. I wish I could share a picture of it with you. 🙂

    Any way, I love following you on pinterest and now your blog.

    – Marilyn G.
    North Carolina

      1. Marilyn Griffin says:

        I can’t get your email link to work from this page. I will share with you on fb. 🙂

        1. Hi Marilyn, you can find my email icon at the top header. It’s on the right side.

  57. Hello there,
    Thanks for your great information regarding history of stonegable. To be honest, me and my wife is big fan of your regular blogs regarding garden and house decorations.
    It is great pleasure to me to see some rear view of your stone based farm house .
    I am a local stone mason and have stone store in New Zealand. When people come to my store for buying stone, i show your farm stone view . Design, decoration and arrangement is outstanding .

    Any way, thanks for your regular blog update
    Cheers
    Nicolas

  58. I live in Harrisburg – I had no idea you were in the great state of PA. I love your ideas and your home looks beautiful. Thank you for sharing and Inspirng – it’s my dream to own a B&B after I retire from the state.

  59. Your stone home is so beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing the outside pictures and the surrounding farm land.

  60. Yvonne,

    You have a gorgeous home! I have always loved a farm house with a wrap around porch and the stone just takes it over the top. Thanks for sharing with us.

    Lynda

  61. Sharon Minzey says:

    My mother owned a beautiful big white farmhouse in Iowa. It’s gone now but the wonderful memories live on! Your home reminds me of it.

  62. Absolutely beautiful home and setting! I have enjoyed the inside so much and now putting it together with the outside just makes it more enjoyable…I could live there and be happy! I love in Tennessee which is also beautiful…how blessed we both are!

  63. Enjoyed the tour! My husbands Grandmother Mary Beeson was a William Penn descendent.
    We live in a farm house built in 1904 … love it!

  64. Lillian Lane says:

    I love porches and wish our home had one. I have many fond memories of reading while in the porch swing on my grandparents’ porch.

  65. There is no other word besides BEAUTIFUL to describe you home. Love love love the porches. 🙂

  66. Portia Read says:

    It’s lovely Yvonne!

  67. Carolyn Ray says:

    First time I have written to you but I just had to comment on your beautiful home! We live in the desert in Nevada, so I love looking at all the GREEN! Your home and surrounding are absolutely beautiful and your style is my favorite. I always enjoy your emails coming to me. God Bless you and your family!

  68. Beautiful!
    I would love a post on how you care for those beautiful potted hydrangeas.

  69. Thank you so much for reposting this one. A truly special story about the history of your home. I love the gables, the hills and the greenery. It was so beautiful to look at during my lunch break as it is a very dreary day here in Boston.

  70. That is so interesting that the area puts a plaque on their home. I always wondered where you got the name StoneGable. I have never visited that part of the country but have read that it is real history especially during civil war. Do you ever find any mementos from that era?

  71. Gina Linden says:

    Do you have store with the products you use in you blog? If so where is the store located?