Our History, The Past
In January 1832, Stephen A. Knaap purchased the land formerly known as “The Hickories”. The land consisted of seven barns and two tenant houses. In 1849, Samuel R. Howes purchased the land which his son, Arthur C. Howes later inherited. The original land contained twenty-one acres of apples including, Maiden Blush, Kings, Baldwins, Greenings and the Twenty Ounce. The rest of the farm was utilized for growth of hay, corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, cabbage and other fruits. While Howes owned the property, tenant buildings were considered “high-class” consisting of a modern frame, lighted by gas and heated by hot water and hot air. In 1879, the land was inherited by William Carr’s first wife, Myrtie Carr.
The Carr family built the home, formerly known as “The White Pillars” and used the farm land for dairy cows. The home was an Italianate style home, with the pillars being added in 1914. In 1944 Myrtie Carr unexpectedly passed away. As a widower, William then meets his second wife Patricia who was significantly younger than he. Patricia moved to New York City at the age of 16 and was a showgirl for years. She then moved to Orleans County with William, they married and she learned to be a farmer’s wife. Patricia kept a journal of her experiences at the home. Survived by her step-grandchild Nicki Carr Tiffany, the book The Long-Legged View was published. In the novel, Patricia mentions a photo of a purple peacock on the wall, during Kerri and Cole’s restoration of the home, a purple peacock was added to the dining room wall as a reference to the memoir. After the death of William Carr, the home was turned into apartments where many lived, throughout the 1960’s and onward.
In 2010 Scott Root and Tony McMurtie purchased the home and began restoring it into its original figure as the space had been completely abandoned. The ballroom was established in 2010, inspired by The Titanic ballroom. Each year, the previous owners held a Titanic Ball as well as weekly Friday night dinners. Rumours surrounding a haunting within the home circulated throughout the county. Eventually, Ghost Hunters arrived at the property and produced an episode. Later, the spooky allegations were debunked. In 2020, Kerri and Cole Glover and Michael Bolster purchased the space which is now Maison Albion. The home has been reinvented into a French Victorian inspired home. The Glovers have restored the home and turned it into a four bedroom bed and breakfast as well as an event venue.
The Present
The Glovers purchased "The Pillars" in July 2020, and began her restoration and development into a wedding and event venue. Every surface was plastered, painted, and touched. We added 11.5" bookcases to the groomsman room, gold & silk wallpaper to the dining room, and home antiquities were purchased from the Waldorf Astoria Auction in New York.
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Although there are many before and after photos of the grounds and mansion during the restoration period. It was important to the new owners that we honor the history of the property. Details like Victorian push button light switches were added and original chandeliers were rewired in order to bring the original beauty back to Maison. Even the famous pillars on the porch were replaced and, using historical photographs, the original style of the mansion was restored.
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The Future
Looking toward the future, we have constructed the "Pillars of Maison" as our vows to you:
1. Love- We believe that everyone has the right to love who they want and to celebrate it too! At Maison Albion, we believe inclusion is the only way. Our doors will always be open to every couple and family for every type of celebration.
2. Freedom- At Maison Albion, we believe in the freedom to design your event the way you imagine. You are welcome to choose your vendors, your event design, and we encourage you to use our venue as if it were your own Maison. We do not charge fees to vendors to work at our property and we do not accept commissions from vendors.
3. Magic- We believe that magic is found in the little things. Fresh local weekly flower deliveries, antique love letters hidden in our drawers, lavender and French chocolates and lavender sachets for turn down service. Magic is made with memories, quiet moments, and beauty that can be created and found here at Maison Albion. We love our clients, and our clients love us.
4. Preserving the past- Restoration, not renovation, is our philosophy for caring for our grande dame. Listening to her past and translating it into a restoration to preserve her for the future is our mission. We are merely caretakers these gorgeous grounds, preserving it for future generations to enjoy. The same care we give the mansion, we give to our guests. We want you to treat Maison Albion like your home - it is designed with antiques and our design is cozy, approachable and grand.
5. Creating a better future- Care of this beautiful earth and offsetting the footprint of events is a passion at Maison Albion. Our complex composting system feeds our landscape and we have an advanced recycling program on site. We use Blueland products with no parabens, PBNs or dyes in our laundry and hand soap on the property. We do not allow single use plastics on site. By 2025, Maison Albion will be heated and cooled by geothermal systems and 100% solar for power. It is our small way to take care of our lovely planet.
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