Our History
The Kittle House, constructed in 1790 as a barn and working farm for John Kittle and his family, has seen much over its 200 year-old history. Over the course of the next century, it was maintained as a farm and residence for the family’s descendants. In the 1880s, the barn was converted into a grand manor house, which is our main building today.
However, at the turn of the 19th century, the house and farm was sold & various establishments occupied the property for the next fifty years. If walls could talk, they would share tales of debauchery and wild nights from its brief tenure as a roadhouse during the 1920s, hosting many parties that we can only guess did not comply with the laws of Prohibition. They would speak of lesson plans and gossip from its brief tenure as a private girls school in the 1930s, & its conversion back into a tavern and exclusive guest house and retreat for citydwellers intent on escaping the crowds and prying eyes. The Kittle House hosted celebrities, actors, and public figures in the Golden Age of Hollywood — including Henry Fonda, Margaret Sullavan and Talullah Bankhead.
In 1981, the Crabtree family purchased the property and inherited all of its stories — restoring the inn and property to its historic grandeur, and bringing the art of hospitality back into the Inn, reviving its menu to reflect its farming heritage, and developing an extensive wine program that pairs well with the local, natural products provided by nearby farmers and producers. That tradition continues today, and The Kittle House has become synonymous with delicious, elegant and refined farm-to-table cuisine.
Our lush grounds, including Amy’s Garden, reflect the original history of the property while imbuing the sense of home from the Crabtree family. Named for owner John Crabtree’s wife, she could always be found cultivating fresh produce or clipping fresh flowers. After she passed, the garden was named in her honor.
Stroll under our lush trellises and discover our garden area adjacent to our Tap Room, allowing for seasonal outdoor dining, and views of green vistas beyond. Enjoy the sounds of wildlife and a relaxing fountain, and be transported to another time.
Our Taproom Bar, brought to the Inn in the 1950s by a former owner, was originally installed in the Fanny Brite pub in England. It was sent as a gift from a famous actress who frequented the Kittle House across the Atlantic, and installed in an (in)famous speakeasy in Manhattan in the 1920s. Once the speakeasy was raided by police during Prohibition, it was kept in storage for decades before a former owner purchased it at auction, and installed it in our Tap Room. Now, it proudly displays of our Spirits and welcomes our guests into the cozy, wood-paneled tap room. Sit by our stone fireplace, enjoy a cocktail, and stay a while.
