INN VERMONT : ROWELL ' S INN
and memories while enjoying a taste of authentic Vermont hospitality .
A Historic Crossroads
Originally constructed in 1826 by Major Edward L . Simons , Rowell ’ s Inn stands at the intersection of Route 11 and Middletown Road . The Inn was originally founded as the Simons Inn , and its surrounding area was known as Simonsville . The Simons Inn stood at a strategic crossroads in the heart of Southern Vermont . It was conveniently located on a well-traveled stretch of Route 11 , which is relatively equidistant from the towns of Springfield and Manchester . This confluence of factors set the stage for an influx of travelers , whose continued patronage allowed the Inn to blossom into a booming stagecoach destination . As tourism patterns evolved over the next several decades , the Inn welcomed scores of additional visitors . It served as a community meeting space and a post office , and its main floor also hosted a general store . The Inn ’ s third floor housed a spacious ballroom , where travelers and local residents would congregate to enjoy music and joyous festivity .
In 1910 , the Inn was purchased by Frederick Rowell , the source of its enduring namesake . It switched hands several times over the following century , and notable additions were added to the original Federalist-style brick structure . A barn on nearby Marsh Hill Road was brought down by crane in the latter half of the 20th Century . It was attached to the back of the main brick building , and it now currently houses the on-site bar and grill . Directly adjacent to the barn addition , an additional dining space that is now referred to by the Smith family as the “ Sunroom ” was constructed in the 1970s . After the Inn shut its doors in 2012 , it fell into a state of relative disrepair . When it seemed like the proverbial storybook of the Rowell ’ s Inn had reached its final chapter , the Smith family purchased the property in 2018 — and they wrote their own story on a promising new page .
Love at First Sight
Before Jared and Christina Smith acquired Rowell ’ s Inn and began their renovation , they built a happy and productive life with their four children in Vermont . Born and raised in the nearby town of Londonderry , Jared found success as a skilled and industrious logger . Christina worked as the Client Services Manager for a local accounting firm in Chester . She also founded a popular baking business , 4 Kids and A Baker , which is now run out of the kitchen at Rowell ’ s Inn . Although she was not born in Vermont , Christina nevertheless has deep family ties to the
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