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Our History
The White House Inn
The White House Inn, formerly known as “Beaver Brook Farm” was built in 1915 as a private summer residence for Martin and Clara Brown, who were Mayflower descendants. The property was originally named for the babbling brook that runs through the property. Lore has it that the original home on the property was razed to make way for the grand mansion at the insistence of Clara, who declared their previous home was unfit for visitors after an overnight visit there by Calvin Coolidge, the future president. The gracious home was designed by Mrs. Brown expressly for the purpose of entertaining honored guests, a long-standing tradition that has continued for over a century.
The Browns both grew up in nearby Jacksonville, but Martin Brown made his fortune in Wilmington as a leading lumber industrialist in the Northeast. He had a reputation as an honest and fair businessman with varied interests. Martin’s long career began as a store clerk at the nearby Jacksonville General Store. In 1898, Brown was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives as the town representative from Whittingham and was the youngest member of the House at the time. He also worked as a general passenger agent of the Hoosac Tunnel and the Wilmington Railroad for several years. Later, he was a salesman, agent, and treasurer of the Deerfield River Company and the Wilmington Grain and Lumbar Company. He also served as treasurer of the North River Manufacturing Company. He served as General Manager of Parker & Young Co., of Lincoln N.H., one of New England’s leading pulp and industrial farms. In the banking industry, he served as the president of the Brattleboro Trust Co. and the Vermont Investment Co. of Brattleboro, of which he was one of the original founders.
The original Beaver Brook Farm was set on 600 acres and included a gambrel-roofed ground stable barn with ells for his Jersey herd and Morgan horses. At one time he had a herd of 150 head at a barn across the street which burned down in 1956. Many of the original features of the home remain, including built-in servants, a call system, original lighting fixtures, a secret hidden staircase, and a built-in safe. It is said that Mrs. Brown got the inspiration for the secret staircase after visiting the House of the Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts, which inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s famous 1851 novel.
The breathtaking original panoramic wallpaper from Zuber et Cie still adorns the grand foyer of the mansion, allowing guests to be immersed in the captivating ancient Roman countryside which is depicted. The antique wallpaper was hand-painted from carved wooden printing blocks which the French Ministry of Culture has since designated a French Historical Monument.
Martin, born in 1874, lived to be 88 years old, and Clara, born in 1877, lived to be 95. They were married on June 26th, 1895. Eventually, the pair produced 5 children and celebrated 67 years of marriage. The Brown family sold the home in 1965 and for a time, it housed a nightclub in the basement called “The Rustic.” In 1978, the mansion was lovingly restored to its former glory and established as the White House Inn. While the property has since seen numerous major renovations and system upgrades, many of the historical features and original details of the property have been carefully preserved, delighting guests with the authentic charm and timeless splendor of the bygone era.
