History and Elegance on Display at Fieldcrest

sits, unassumingly, along Easthill Street in North Canton. The white painted brick and black iron gates that motorists see along the road do a really good job of hiding this North Canton treasure that's rich in history and is a remaining link to one of the most influential families of the area, the Hoover family.

Driving through the gates and down the paved lane, visitors quickly see the Welcome Center and The Inn, which are both housed in original Hoover family estate buildings. The Inn was moved from its original location a mile down the road toward Market Avenue to its current site in 1988.

The Inn is in its original state with most of the furniture inside from the Hoover Family arranged in much the same order as Mrs. Hoover would have had it sitting. The current owner, Sally Morse Dale, rents the eight-room Inn to individuals, groups or for business conferences. The Inn is pet- and kid-friendly and air conditioned with private bedrooms and baths. It can be rented per night, per week or per month.

There are plenty of places to sit outside and watch the wildlife on the remaining 50 acres of secluded land.

“At one time, the Hoover family owned all of the land between Market Avenue and Cleveland Avenue on this side of Easthill Street,” said Janet Mohler, public relations spokesperson for .

“They had a working dairy farm on part of the land and used the milk in the cafeteria at the Hoover plant. It eventually went commercial and they started selling milk to the Onesta Hotel in downtown Canton.”

The farm’s name, according to Mohler, was Poheja, which is the first letter of each of the Hoover children (Paulie, Herb William, Jr., James and Jane). Past United States presidents and dignitaries from around the world have stayed in The Inn when it was the Hoovers' home.

“This was a property that most people in North Canton never stepped foot on because they had to be invited by the Hoover family,” Mohler said.

“The current owner purchased it and decided to keep it as original as possible and only do maintenance and general repair on the buildings. She did renovate one of the barns for the Montessori school when it was here.”

Remaining buildings include a tea house, two barns, the Welcome Center (which was the carriage house), The Inn (which was the family home) and the lodge, built by Herbert William Hoover Jr. in 1925.

While the other buildings are painted white with black trim and are built in a New England style, the lodge is constructed with logs and looks like a cabin found deep in any wooded area. Mr. Hoover had it built after a lodge he visited in Colorado. According to Ann Haines, operations coordinator at the Hoover Historical Center at , the lodge was remodeled in 1959 with an addition in 1973 when the conference area was added and the kitchen was enlarged.

“The family used the property for decades both for family and company events,” Haines said. 

There are two smaller bedrooms and one large bedroom that is available for guests to rent on the second floor of the lodge. All guest rooms overlook the main lodge area, which is now used for weddings and wedding receptions, graduation parties, business meetings and baby showers. There is also a Sunday brunch every week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There are several special events held on the grounds and in the lodge throughout the year.

“We have a lot of dinner theater in the fall, winter and spring months,” Mohler said. “We have a event scheduled (for July 30)*. All wizards of all ages are welcome to attend. We have a costume contest, trivia contest, a feast in the lodge or grand hall and a potions class scheduled.”

The best way to see this beautiful expanse of North Canton history is to come to one of the Sunday brunches held at the Lodge, she said.

“Chef Paul has a way of creating magic every Sunday. He likes to use fresh, baked and healthy foods for every brunch,” Mohler said.

For more information about the Sunday brunch, the Wizards' Gathering or about renting a room at The Inn, call 330-966-2222 or visit the website at www.fieldcrestofnc.org. Fieldcrest is located at 1346 Easthill Street SE in North Canton.

*Editor's note: We originally reported the event would take place this Friday and Saturday and July 29 and 30. The dates have since changed and now the event only will be July 30, according to Fieldcrest.