I have lived in this city for a number of years, and yet, I had never been out to the house of the city founder. It’s hidden away near a canyon in the foothills and is not really visible from the road. Apparently, it is currently owned by a religious organization (you can thank them for the bible in your hotel room) and operates as a hotel and tea room. Since we wanted tea (and had a reservation) this was the day to check it out.

It was one of those spring days where it can’t decide whether to rain, snow or be sunny, so it did a bit of each. At this moment in time it was very windy and warm.

It’s located at the start of the foothills and these upright stones that mark the location were pushed into position when the mountain made it’s way to the surface.

And here it is in all of it’s pretensions to being a castle. The city founder had made a fortune in railroads after the Civil War and he poured the money out into building this for his missus. She however, was unimpressed with the setting, as it was too far from her ideas of civilization, so she moved away (to London, which is a rather nice place to live if one has pots of money).

The house is full of charming period details, massive fireplaces, oak paneling etc. I liked these horse head chairs (really, I would take one home if I could sneak it out somehow.)

We had a choice of teas, and were served a number of dainty eats, but no sausage rolls (and I consider this an essential element of a proper tea).

And on the way out we spotted a couple of residents. The male was all puffed out for the benefit of the hens, and they could not have been less interested in his display. Perhaps this is the real story of the house as well.