October 23, 2010 Conewago Manor Inn On-Site Unreserved Exceptional Estate Auction

October 23, 2010
Conewago Manor Inn
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
On-Site Unreserved Exceptional Estate Auction

On Site Unreserved Exceptional Antique Auction (The Conewago Manor Inn)

Over 500 lots of fine antiques and accessories to be sold in one day

Saturday October 23rd at 8 AM. (Main Auction) followed by an unreserved discovery auction.

Previews: Thursday 10 - 4, Friday 10 - 4, Saturday 8 - 11

We have been commissioned to sell the contents of the Conewago Manor Inn, on site 2040 Zeager Road, Elizabethtown Pa. 17022

Dating back to an original 1742 grant from the William Penn family, founders of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The home has served as a U.S. Post Office, a railway ticket office, a tavern, a private residence and at present a gracious inn.
History of the Manor

It is difficult to fathom and fully appreciate the scope of history through which this majestic home has stood, weathering the passage of time as it witnessed the birth of a nation and her struggles and triumphs, many of which happened not far from this doorstep in Philadelphia and later, in nearby Gettysburg. Iron from nearby forges may have been used to fight the American Revolution, and cavalry horses reared here saw action abroad in World War I.

The original survey of this land dates back to June 1, 1739. Then known as the Conewago Manor Farm, it served as the residence for Samuel Smith, a local miller and Indian trader who received the original warranted deed from the William Penn family in May of 1742. The brick portion of the home was added later and served as a public house and inn.

In 1800 Henry Bates Grubb, Ironmaster of the Hopewell Forge, bought the property and added the stately stone portion of the mansion in 1811. He expanded the farm to 3,000 acres and renamed it Mount Vernon Estate. You may encounter the remnants of his grist mill while you are exploring the grounds, and they have become a popular backdrop for the many photos taken here.

In 1899 the Mount Vernon Estate was acquired by the Pennsylvania Vaccine Company. Owner Dr. H.M. Alexander used the large stone barn on the premises as a laboratory for his experiments. The doctor established a commercial business in nearby Marietta, PA, which is known today as Wyeth - Ahearst Laboratories.

In 1913, Samuel K. Zeager acquired the property and operated “the most modern farrowing house ever built” according to a pamphlet that was distributed to entice investors at the time. In 1934, Samuel sold the grounds to his son Paul, who farmed the land and raised 17 children, 3 with his first wife Mamie, and the other children with his second wife. The family continued the operation of the sawmill, which is still in existence just up the road.

The Conewago Manor Inn has served as a United States Post Office, a railway ticket office for lines including the Pennsylvania Railroad, and now, under the careful eye of your hosts Keith and Laura Murphy, the property returns to its celebrated past as a gracious inn.

Our award-winning restoration has twice been featured on Home and Garden Television and has been detailed in Women's Day Magazine, Lancaster County Magazine, and has been acknowledged by many other local media sources. Taking nearly seven years to complete, the restoration of this renowned manor house has been very much a labor of love by your dedicated hosts.