Hindered within the esoteric confines of scenic Green Spring Valley in Stevenson, Maryland, lies a charming, historic Tudor-style mansion. Accessible solely by a private, winding driveway route, the mansion’s pristine premises span an impressive 45 acres of lush land—including what is Maryland’s oldest certified organic farm. It may seem unassuming, humble even, but this hidden oasis holds the honor of being an award-winning wedding and event venue as well as a stunning bed and breakfast of great acclaim. I am referring to none other than Gramercy Mansion.
Built back in the early 20th century, Gramercy Mansion has a very rich and detailed story to tell. In this Flashback Friday Feature, I’m sharing that history—starting with the reason behind its establishment and its eventual transformation into a bed and breakfast/event hosting site.
A Doting Father’s Gift
It was in 1902 that Alexander Cassatt, president of the Pennsylvania Railroad and brother of the renowned female impressionist painter Mary Cassatt, purchased 45 acres of woodland property located in Green Spring Valley in Maryland.
He intended to have a family estate built and gifted to his daughter, Eliza, in honor of her marriage to Plunkett Stewart. Plunkett was one of the founders of the Grand National—the second-oldest steeplechase in Maryland and the Green Spring Valley Hunt Club.
The design concept for Gramercy Mansion was largely inspired by the Cassatt Family’s existing summer home of Four Acres, located in Bar Harbor, Maine. Like the aforementioned, Gramercy Mansion implemented the Old English Tudor style.
It was built to contain 25 rooms (including an eight-room servants’ quarters) with other stellar callouts of the day, like pocket doors, a nursery, nine fireplaces, a coal-burning furnace, and even a resident wine cellar. A separate 18-horse stall carriage house was also established on the spacious grounds along with an ice pond and ice house and a barn and creamery.
A Passing of the Torch
Sadly, Cassatt passed away in 1906 before ever seeing Gramercy Mansion’s completion. When the family moved to Philadelphia in 1907, the land and home were sold to Fairfax S. Landstreet, Vice President of the Western Maryland Railroad, and his wife—the niece of a senator from West Virginia. They made their home at Gramercy Mansion for five years, eventually selling it to industrialist Benjamin H. Brewster in 1912. Brewster was the son of U.S. Attorney General Benjamin Harris Brewster and Mary Walker Brewster—the great-great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin. He would also go on to be the grandfather of Maryland Senator Daniel Brewster (1963 to 1969).
Gramercy Mansion served as the Brewster Family residence for three decades. Following Benjamin Brewster’s death, his widow Elizabeth sold the home to the noted builder and financier Hugo R. Hoffmann. Hoffman and his family resided here for eight years, eventually selling to the Koinonia Foundation in 1950.
The property remained under the ownership of the Koinonia Foundation for the next three and a half decades. During this time, the now-renowned certified organic garden was established here. But with the Foundation facing bankruptcy by the 1980s, Gramercy Mansion and all of its encompassing property was put up for sale. It was sold at auction to Dr. Ronald and Anne Pomykala in 1985.
A Bed and Breakfast is Born
The impromptu purchase by Pomykalas was unplanned—a spur-of-the-moment bid after falling in love with the property while visiting a friend in nearby Baltimore. Yet, they were now owners of an expansive estate and property, bringing them into a budding bed and breakfast venture. But before things could officially get underway, there were wide-ranging, massive renovations and restorations that needed to be made.
All the hard work paid off, and in 1986, the Pomykalas officially opened the first room of their bed and breakfast. Since then, they’ve grown in praise and renown for their hideaway, old-fashioned motif, and multiple other featured guest rooms, each presenting an individualized theme and special title of its own.
They’ve also garnered praise for the appealing amenities they provide guests with, including a breakfast with all the works, custom-tailored to each guest’s specific requests. As mentioned earlier, the Koinonia Organic Farm is still in operation on the grounds and holds the record for being the state’s oldest certified organic farm. The herbs grown in the garden are always incorporated into in-house meal prep, including breakfasts and special event dinners they sometimes host here. They also distribute to known area markets and stores, like Whole Foods, Graul’s Market, and Giant.
A Premier Event Venue
In addition to its bed and breakfast operation, Gramercy Mansion has garnered acclaim for being an idyllic event venue through the years. From onsite ceremonies to receptions, weddings to birthdays, celebrations of life to corporate events, they do it all and infinitely more!
On average, both Gramercy Mansion and its sister Carriage House play host to more than a hundred weddings annually. They can accommodate anywhere from two to 150 guests comfortably, depending on what you hope to host and at which location on the premises you decide to host it.
Gramercy Mansion truly is the epitome of grace and elegance. It’s an enchanting escape that alludes to a wonderland-like ambiance beyond compare.
You will find Gramercy Mansion located at 1400 Green Spring Valley Road, Stevenson, Maryland 21153. To learn more, host or attend an event, or to book accommodations, visit the website at www.gramercymansion.com.