The Waystead Inn is bound to become a memorable icon in the downtown Berlin vicinity. Like many early 1900’s-built buildings in the Berlin area, the Waystead was completely gutted, remodeled, and put back together to become an old house with modern amenities. The spacious inn is run by a small group of fastidious and dedicated individuals who are eager to welcome guests to the new bed and breakfast.
Co-owners, Lucy Van Voorhees and Mark Kauffman saw an opportunity and a new business venture in the old dilapidated house that used to sit roughly 200 meters away from the odd 5-way intersection at Harrison Avenue and Main Street in Berlin.
“We purchased the house in July of 2010 and finished renovating in September of 2011. It was 15 months of gutting, ripping things out, and putting everything back together,” said Kauffman about the beautiful blue house.
Before Kauffman and Voorhees purchased the home, it had been sitting vacant for several years; the lead-paint was chipping, a family of vultures lived inside, an extremely large nest of bees took over the attic, mold coated the crumbling plaster walls, the kitchen floors had caved in, and the water, electrical, and gas lines were destroyed.
“We stripped the whole building down to its studs. There was so much damage; termites, flooding, leaks, you name it,” he added.
The talented duo, familiar with restoring homes, saw the house in a positive manner. They saved the wooden trim, the staircase, the mantles (ones that were carved by the same man who created Thomas Jefferson’s mantles at Monticello), a claw foot bathtub, the large trees, and the general layout of the home.
“We were lucky. All of the rooms in the inn are a good size; all are nice and spacious. Most Victorian houses are small and chopped up,” Lucy said. The size and layout of the home provided a starting point for the humongous renovation project. Some things changed and others remained the same as new life was breathed into the house originally built in 1790.
“There are only a few things we changed. The main fireplace is one of them. We took out the chimney and put in a gas fireplace instead,” said Lucy. By removing the chimney that ran directly through the center of all three floors, Mark and Lucy were able to expand the bedrooms and make the house more ‘roomy’.
Another addition to the Inn? An innkeeper and world-trained chef. Kauffman and Van Voorhees called upon Eric Swick, close friend and culinary expert, to take care of the place.
When Swick found out about Kauffman’s new project last year, he said, “I’ll come over right away. I’ve got good cooking and cleaning skills.” Swick’s cleaning skills are obvious when you note how perfectly made the upstairs room’s beds are.
The Waystead Inn features a brand new commercial kitchen, addition to the original part of the home with the innkeepers apartment above. Swick, who has already cooked for guests, parties, and catered events at the inn since they opened, is looking forward to the summer months when he can whip up new creations in the kitchen to serve to guests of the bed and breakfast.
Guests will enjoy the breakfasts prepared each morning as well as the 4 spacious guestrooms – each with a separate on suite bathroom, flat panel televisions, free WiFi connection, antique furnishing collected at local antique auctions, and modern amenities offered at the Inn. The exterior of the home is also beautifully kept. The 1.5 acre property surrounding the inn is partially shaded by mature trees that offer perfect spots to relax on a lazy afternoon at the shore.
The wrap-around porch is pretty cozy, too. There are several wooden lounge chairs, a few wicker rocking chairs, and a nice table on the covered porch. A paved pathway will lead guests to the sidewalk of Main Street and then downtown. In the front of the inn flies the Moultrie flag, an American flag displayed in southern states, originating in South Carolina that represents those who have fallen in defense of our freedom and liberty.
Many historical records pertaining to the Waystead Inn , and the town of Berlin, were incinerated in Snow Hill in 1911 when there was a massive fire at the County Seat. One record that escaped the fire states that the property that Waystead occupies was the US Post Office’s mailbag drop site in 1790. Parcel transporting men and women would drop their bags, set up camp, spend the night, and then travel by stagecoach to neighboring areas on the Eastern Shore. By 1830, the property owners built a 6-room inn to shelter guests.
Congratulations to Kauffman and Van Voorhees for bringing hospitality back to this Berlin property. The original owners would be proud to know that the home has, once again, been turned into an inn to shelter traveling guests. For more information check out the bed and breakfast’s website or visit the property at 15 Harrison Avenue in Berlin, MD.
