Tag Archives: historic Inn

The Mill Room Opens at Stone Mill Hotel & Suites in Lanesboro, MN

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Last weekend, Lanesboro celebrated Buffalo Bill Days.  This annual town celebration boasted dances, fireworks, volleyball and softball tournaments, and a grand parade.

Not only has Lanesboro been bustling with activities, so has Stone Mill Hotel & Suites.  The newest lodging room is now open.  The Mill Room is a lovely appointed room with a private bathroom and is located in the “mill” part of the building.

What has happened to our long summer days?  As our days are starting to get shorter, I know it will only be a short time and we will be experiencing the beauty of another season. We are so fortunate to live in an area where we can experience the depth of the four seasons.  Shortly, the summer green will give way to the golden shades of autumn.

Soon, I will write about the “Mill Studio”.  In the meantime, enjoy the beauty each day brings!

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FOSSE THE CHICKEN Explores Downtown Lanesboro!

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Oh My!  What a hot one it is out there today!  This is the hottest July I’ve seen since I was a little chick back on the farm!  Squawk!  It’s enough to even make a chicken be lazy!

But speaking about lazy, there is nothing lazy about Lanesboro!   I just love this town.  There is so much to see and do that all these folks think a day trip will do. They find out that they need to come back and stay a day or two so that they can have the full experience.  Shopping, river activities and of course don’t forget my favorite activity… resting with the one you love!   But alas, I digress…

The really interesting thing is that there is a tremendous amount of ingenuity to the folks that call Lanesboro home.   We have fantastic chefs, Nancy and Dave just to name a few, Spoon Makers, Soap Makers, and Ice Cream galore!

Recently, Minnesota Public Radio and Winona Daily News did a story about some of the new and existing businesses in Historic Downtown Lanesboro!   Lanesboro ‘urban expatriates’ embrace new home.  We are so proud to live and work with these great people that add so much to our unique and charming little town.

Suites Scent from ESSENCE of Lanesboro

Did you know that Peter Bilkey featured in the article above developed a special scent just for Stone Mill?   That was an amusing experience for one of my Inn Keepers, Mandy.  She spent several hours at Peter’s shop with her nose sniffing this scent and that scent.  She found one that she liked and Peter worked his magic by pulling this element out, putting that element in and then shake, shake, mix, mix and what do you know you have this clean, fresh scent that everyone just loves called;  Suites Scent with Juniper!

I would tell you more, because I have some really great stories from each of these folks that really speak to the uniqueness of Lanesboro. However, in such hot weather, even a young chicken such as myself needs to sit on the front deck of Stone Mill and rest.

So have a great time finding out about some of our shop owners and come down and stay  with us some time.  Squawk!

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Fosse the Chicken:
Explores the Crate Suite

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HELLO!

What a delight to see you again!  I greatly enjoyed our visit last time. And, thank you for asking about that grain truck/appetizer from last time – it was delicious!  There was corn, and corn and more corn… yum, yum, yum…

You know… I was thinking… that I should

about the unique lodging and qualities of Stone Mill Hotel & Suites. The best place to begin would be in the area where I entered the building.  That area is now called the Crate Suite.

Private Entrance to the Crate Suite

After the initial shock of my ride on the back of that 1930’s Ford truck and my sudden escape from having my tail feathers plucked, the Crate Jacuzzi Suite is where all of the chaos first took place, and much to my dismay, the Crate Suite has become one of the most popular suites for guests!  You would not believe this but when the Lamon – Mortimer families opened the doors to the hotel in July of 2001, the first guests in that room was a young couple on their honeymoon and they have been coming back every year for their anniversary!  They are such a nice couple.  Great fun to visit with…but I digress.

Living room with private two person whirlpool tub

The Crate Suite is on the first floor of the hotel. One of the unique features to the hotel is that the first three floors of this four story building are on ground level and was originally designed to meet the needs of the freight train industry that ran through the Lanesboro area in the late 1800’s. The Crate Suite has a private entrance that now opens up to a lovely guest area that features a two person whirlpool tub.  And don’t you know that’s a great bird bath if I ever saw one.  Much nicer than the bath they gave me when I first arrived.  Which was more like a dunk, dunk, plunk in cold water.  Burrrr chills me to the bone thinking about it. 

Traditional chicken crate used to bring chickens to the poultry processing plant

When I arrived, I was in a crate very similar to the one that is prominently displayed in the
suite as well.  Some other unique features to this now wonderful suite is the old chicken de-beaker (and let me tell you I am so glad that that thing don’t work no more…  It’s more of a dust collector if I do say so myself.  Colleen, the owner, would pluck another feather or two if I convinced Mandy to throw it in the dumpster!)

Antique Chicken De-Beaker

The rest of the suite includes a queen bed.  For those of you that are electronically inclined there are two TV’s so, if you roosters and hen’s out there disagree on what to watch, there is one for you and one for the love of your life to watch, because it is all about keeping the peace and providing you with a great place to rest, relax and re-connect! 

Well, now that I have talked you ear off, I think that it would be prudent to go scratch around for some more information about my namesake, Fosse.  I look forward to seeing you soon at Stone Mill Hotel & Suites; and don’t forget, we are just a stone’s throw from anywhere you are!
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Introducing Fosse! The Indelible Spirit of Stone Mill Hotel & Suites

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Oh, Hello there!  My name is Fosse the Chicken!

How are you today?

GREAT!  I am so glad to have this opportunity to visit with you!  I have so much to share with you about myself and the history of this beautiful building that is now the home of Stone Mill Hotel & Suites.

I tell you, there is never a dull moment here, or in Lanesboro. And over the last 50 or so years I have gotten to know a lot about this area, The Lamon – Mortimer family that takes such good care of my home here at the Mill and all of the unique little nooks, crannies and people that make Lanesboro such a great place to live and visit!

Hum…. (Fosse takes a thoughtful pause….) 

What, sorry … I was drifting off thinking about all the fine grain I am going to have for dinner….  Oh, you want me to tell you how I got to be here at the Mill.  I remember it like it was only yesterday!

The first time I set eyes on Stone Mill (then it was SL Fosse:  Dealer in Eggs and Poultry) it was a beautiful summer day.  I was out in the coupe doing what chickens do best (pecking grain that is) and the next thing you know I was in a crate, on the back of an old 1930’s Ford truck.  That wind from the ride ruffled my feathers terribly!  Every feather literally out of place and then if that was not bad enough they took the crate inside and yanked me out and started to pluck out my tail feathers!  I had had enough!  I was not going to stand for such treatment.  So, off the table I hopped and flapped and squawked until I could find a place to hide.  After that I learned how to stay out of the way of you crazy humans!  But I won’t hold that against you.

Anyway, time passed and they forgot about little oh me, and I learned to survive on crumbs dropped from the workers lunch pails and then when the building became grain storage some time in the 1950′s when the Hager’s became owners of the Mill, well, I tell you I was the happiest chicken this side of the Mississippi!  I had all the grain that I could eat and there was so much of it, no one even realized that at night I would eat my fill.  I had to have put on a few pounds during that time of plenty!

That’s the short of it!  I just wanted to take a few minutes to introduce myself, and share with you that I Fosse the Chicken will be making a few public appearances on the Stone Mill Hotel & Suites blog.  I will be telling you about events that come to town, like the one I just missed the Ibsen Festival, but we have a quite a few others so don’t you worry your pretty little head about that.  I will share with you some of my explorations around the Mill and read those great Journals that folks write in sharing their favorite things they did here in Lanesboro and some of the great people that live and work in Lanesboro.

So, so long for now… there’s a grain truck passing by and if I hurry I might just be able to catch some extra BˑEˑAˑUˑTˑIˑFˑUˑL grain as an appetizer before dinner!  I am a  connaisseur of fine grains!

See Ya soon and when you visit Lanesboro don’t forget to stop by and take a tour of my lovely home, Stone Mill Hotel & Suites!

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The Tulips Are Blooming

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A visitor to Lanesboro,Scott from White Bear Lake, took this beautiful picture of the tulips right outside our front door last weekend.  Thank you Scott!

As Lanesboro continues to awaken, the Commonweal Theatre Company will be hosting the 15th Annual Ibsen Festival on April 13 – 15.  This year, Pillars of Society, has been chosen as the Ibsen production.  A complete listing of the weekend’s events can be found at www.ibsenfest.org.

In addition to the Ibsen Fest activities in Lanesboro, Bluffscape Amish Tours will be offering tours.  The tours will depart on Friday and Saturday at 10:00 or 1:30.  The tours depart from the Lanesboro Feed Mill.  To schedule a tour, please call 507.467.3070.

To add a little relaxation to your weekend, the Lanesboro Day Spa has appointments available on Friday afternoon and Saturday.

 

 

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New Renovations at the Lanesboro FEED MILL

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Stone Mill Hotel & SuitesThe FEED MILL complex in Lanesboro is undergoing exciting new changes.  With Mom’s (Cheryl’s) retirement from Cheryl’s Apparel in November 2011, we move forward undertaking new endeavors. Our first construction project (or should I say Rick2first construction project) is the building of the new front desk area for Stone Mill Hotel & Suites among other businesses (more on that in later posts).

Stone Mill Hotel & Suites

"I'm having so much fun"

For those of you whom haven’t been introduced Rick2 includes the team of my Dad and Rick Sjarpe our very skilled maintenance and handyman that has been part of our family for 9 years.  In the photos you are seeing that our “Check In” Area will now be located in the “Red Mill” building to the east of the Stone Mill limestone building.  I look forward to providing posts on the process of changes to our lovingly restored FEED MILL.

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Upcoming events at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center

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Lanesboro is surrounded by beautiful bluffs and great vistas.  Nestled on a beautiful ridge above the root river is Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center.  Eagle Bluff is a great place for all ages that loves everything about the outdoors!  Check out their most recent newsletter for upcoming events and opportunities in Lanesboro.

Eagle Bluff News Letter

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New Years Eve Special with Dinner at two of Lanesboro’s Premier Restaurants

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New Year’s Eve is a GREAT time to get away with the one you love!  It is a special time for reflection, connection and beginning that New Year’s resolution to spend more intentional time with the one you love.

Stone Mill Hotel & Suites along with The Old Village Hall Restaurant & Pub and The Riverside on the Root & Dirty Martini Lounge are pleased to give you the perfect opportunity to share a special evening in Historic Downtown Lanesboro.

Start your evening by checking into your uniquely themed room and enjoy a complimentary bottle of wine from Lanesboro’s Scenic Valley Winery.  Take pleasure in having an enchanting and romantic dinner at the Old Village Hall or the Riverside on the Root Restaurant.  End your truly unique New Year’s Eve evening by joining many Lanesboro locals at the Root River Saloon or the Dirty Martini Lounge for music and great fun.  Guests at Stone Mill Hotel & Suites who are having dinner at one of these two fantastic restaurants will receive a 15% discount on their room and also get to sleep in as late as they wish with a check out on Sunday January 1, 2012 at 6PM.

 

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