STAN HYWET HALL
Tudor Revival estate in Akron has all the comforts of 16th, 20th centuries
Take a break from the pandemic — and the entire 21st century — at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron, Ohio.
The English Tudor Revivalstyle house museum, an easy twohour drive from Pittsburgh, was once the home of F. A. Seiberling, co- founder of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
He and his wife Gertrude had a large family but still found time to take a trip to Great Britain in the early 1900s, bringing along their eldest daughter, Irene, and architect Charles Schneider. Their tours of famous manor homes inspired them to build this reproduction of a 16th- century English Tudor manor house designed by Schneider.
It took three years, from 19121915, to build Stan Hywet ( pronounced stan- heeWIT). From its timbered cathedral ceiling in the great hall to the leaded- glass windows and stone fireplaces, this mansion with 18 bedrooms, 23 bathrooms and 23 fireplaces would have Henry the VIII feeling very much at home.
“The Seiberlings built this as their dream home even though many of their children were grown,” said curator Julie Frey.
Their youngest son, Franklin, was the only one of the six children to grow up in the house. He was 7 years old when they moved in. His oldest brother, John Frederick, fought in World War I.
“For the most part the rooms look exactly as they did when the family moved in in 1915,” said Ms. Frey. “We have all of the original furnishings.”
While the home has a historic feel, it also included many modern conveniences, including three elevators, an internal vacuum system, telephones and The Plunge, an indoor pool that was a rarity in early 20th- century houses.
The Seiberlings saw Stan Hywet Hall as a gathering place for the Akron community.
“Over the front door of the house is carved in Latin ‘ Non Nobis Solum,’ which translates to Not For Us Alone,” Ms. Frey said. “Unlike a lot of really wealthy industrialists at that time, they didn’t collect art or books or spend their money in these extravagent ways because their money went back into the city of Akron and building the city.”
Mr. Seiberling’s wife, the former Gertrude Penfield, was a well- known opera singer in her time. The 2,700- square- foot music room, the largest in the home, was used to showcase her talents and entertain guests.
“Mrs. Seiberling could play the organ and the piano,” Ms. Frey said.
Today, an Aeolian organ is played for visitors who stand behind a velvet rope gazing at a room frozen in time.
“There was a constant parade of events at the house, and many of them were philanthropic,” she said.
Mrs. Seiberling took up painting later in life and spent a lot of time in the morning room on the second floor.
Famous visitors to Stan Hywet included Helen Keller and President William Taft.
“President Harding was a visitor, but we can’t confirm that he spent the night,” Ms. Frey said.
When the weather was right, the Seiberlings often entertained on the west terrace by a large rectangle reflecting pool.
There are so many places to see, from the solarium with its exotic Eastern touches to the enclosed west porch with its mosaic fountain, from the breakfast and billiards rooms to the 70 acres of gardens and grounds.
Just beyond the reflecting pool is the peaceful Japanese garden. Landscape architect Warren Manning designed it, along with the bowling green, a large cutting garden and several small garden nooks.
Then there is the Gate House Lodge. It was in this humble building that Alcoholics Anonymous was born. Inside you will find an informative exhibit explaining the origins of this famous 12- step program that helps people conquer addiction.
There is so much more to see. There were no guided tours when I visited because of COVID- 19, but visitors were welcome to take selfguided tours. Last week, staff began doing guided garden tours for the first time since the pandemic started.
“Guests are required to wear masks inside the property and to maintain social distancing,” Ms. Frey said.
Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is open 10: 30 a. m.- 4: 30 p. m. Tuesday through Sunday. It is closed Mondays, and Tuesdays from 9 to 10 a. m. are reserved for seniors and people with compromised immune systems.