Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine

Party Like It’s 1899: Long an escape for Harrisburgers, the Omni Bedford Springs Resort is decked out for the holiday season

Once upon a time, the Harrisburg elite planned summer escapes from the sweltering city.

Mid-July usually brought “the exodus to near-by resorts,” as the Harrisburg Telegraph put it in 1885, and one favorite spot comes up constantly in the society columns.

“Mrs. R.J. Haldeman, of South Front Street, is at Bedford Springs.”

“Two lawyers, James I. Chamberlin and E.M. Haldeman, will drink the invigorating waters at Bedford Springs during the next few days. They started thither this afternoon.”

“Miss Helen Wallace is among the Harrisburgers at Bedford Springs.”

As Historical Society of Dauphin County archivist Ken Frew put it, “Those families had money, so you could see evidence of their having been there and everywhere.” Whether by stagecoach or train, Harrisburgers flocked to the Allegheny Mountains for the “Bedford Cure.”

I followed their path this summer, motoring in a Toyota Tacoma to the Omni Bedford Springs Resort, the “Summer White House” of James Buchanan rescued from dilapidation in 1998 and now a National Historic Landmark. The hallways are lined with Gilded Age-era photos showing young men wearing high starched collars and straw boaters picnicking amid the pines with young women in Gibson Girl linens.

Like those hob-nobbers might have done, I spent glorious afternoons swimming in one of America’s first indoor pools, still fed by mineral springs. I hiked—well, strolled in my Skechers—part of the “Springs Circuit” of trails meandering along Bedford’s seven mineral springs.

Unlike those sepia-toned predecessors, I also got to shop the boutiques of today’s Bedford and hit our favorite joints while we were “near-by.” Plus, to the horse-and-buggy crowd, winter brought the fun to an end, but with our advantages of central heating, hot chocolate and Thinsulate, we can enjoy Bedford Springs now that temperatures are falling.

 

Crystal Palace

The legend of Bedford Springs goes back thousands of years.

Native Americans recognized the waters’ curative powers. In 1796, a white physician named James Anderson built his home and treatment facilities here. Presidents, cabinet members and regular guests flocked to these rugged mountains to refresh their ailing bodies and souls. Gilded Age politicians came here to plot intrigue against Pennsylvania’s ruthlessly corrupt political boss, Matthew Quay. Harrisburg’s civic lights, with recognizable names like Mrs. Haldeman, Mrs. Hickok and Mrs. Boas, hosted the Harrisburg Cotillion here.

In the winter, today’s Omni Bedford Springs Resort, also known as OBSR, transforms into a crystal palace. Thousands of lights sparkle all around the grounds, lit during the “Grand Illumination” on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and staying on through January. Inside, holiday trees, wreaths and garlands brighten the lobbies and sprawling hallways.

New this year, pastry chef Harshal Naik has concocted a life-sized gingerbread house, complete with shutters outlined in Hershey chocolate bars and filling the marbled lobby with holiday scents.

“You can smell the ginger,” Sales and Marketing Director Jennifer Carter-Brymier told me. “It smells amazing.”

There’s comfort food dining in the Frontier Tavern, with another Harrisburg connection in the root beer float made with Appalachian Brewing Co. root beer. The 1796 Room goes a bit more upscale, with steaks and seafood. I happen to love the ambiance of a lobby bar, so I curled up for people watching while sipping a speakeasy-style Bee’s Knees cocktail of local Wigle Gin, lemon juice and simple syrup made from OBSR honey. If you’re partial to whiskey, Wigle makes the bourbon for the Smoked Old Fashioned from corn grown on the OBSR property.

This winter, come on Friday or Saturday for carriage rides, or try the weekend morning yoga. Hike for history, meditation or scenery. Go on the hunt with a geocaching excursion. Daily historic tours take you in the steps of the famous and infamous. In this secluded setting worthy of Agatha Christie, murder mystery weekends start in January.

 

Around Town

Only five minutes away, the charming town of Bedford is open for exploring.

I found all the essentials in the downtown shops—alpaca socks, yarn for knitting (because my stash isn’t bursting out of the closet enough), outdoor gear, boutique sweaters and my favorite, all things kitchen at Peppercorn Market. I don’t cook, but I eat and I decorate, so I couldn’t leave without an amazing bramble preserve, some mid-century modern kitchen towels and a history lesson from the owner about the building’s ties to George Washington, land speculator.

Outside of Bedford, plan a stop at the famously stonewalled Jean Bonnet Tavern. Here, Whiskey Rebellion plotters planted a Liberty Pole, George Washington seems likely to return any day to quell the uprising again, and you can get a fabulous burger, entrée or salad with a fresh Pennsylvania draft beer.

While we’re on the subject of eating—plan to gain a pound per day—don’t miss the delightfully quirky Village News in downtown Bedford. It’s a city news store transformed into a bar and grill serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The burgers are tasty, and intriguing murals painted by local artist Kevin Kutz depict The Point in Pittsburgh and a beloved town character.

Then it’s back to the Omni Bedford Springs for a firepit get-together, lawn games, free holiday movie or a haunted history tour. For a getaway this winter or year-round, it occurs to me that the Harrisburg-to-Bedford Springs pipeline endures. Lots of us still hop on the turnpike for a quick and magical (and yes, pricey) getaway. Even back in the day, I’d have happily made the five-hour train trip, donned in my Gibson Girl shirtwaist and skirt, but there’s zero chance of getting my husband in a high starched collar.

The Omni Bedford Springs Resort is located at 2138 Business, 220, Bedford. For more information, visit www.omnihotels.com/hotels/bedford-springs.

 

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