MINOR SOD HOUSE
BED & BREAKFAST
CLOSED TEMPORARILY
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MINOR SOD HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST
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“I have been to hundreds of bed and breakfasts while doing research for
numerous country inn guide books and for my Denver Post B&B column and I can
truthfully say that none of them can top the warm hospitality, unique
accommodations and cozy ambiance I found awaiting me here. “The perfect Kansas visit - warm hospitality, peaceful surroundings, and wholesome. One of my most memorable B&B experiences. How often does one get the opportunity to spend the night in an authentic sod house? The steak dinner was wonderful. Keep doing everything just the same! Thank you for a great visit.” Gary
“The solitude & rest was so welcome to our overworked souls!
The little ‘sod’ house on the prairie!
A real treasure! The
comforts here are authentic and pleasing....
We really enjoyed ‘cozying’ up to the stove to read & relax after
a hard day’s ‘hunt‘.
“Christmas Eve - 65 years later, Larry & I enjoyed the simplicity
as told in Syd Dull’s 1936 ‘Christmas in the Soddy.’
At the MINOR FAMILY SOD HOUSE we felt the warmth within, the ‘short
& sparse’ prairie Christmas tree sits in the corner of the ‘parlor’,
ready for the family celebration, and we once again were reminded of the true
meaning of Christmas as ‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ story was playing on the radio.
Can we change like ole Mr. Scrooge?!?
On Christmas Day, nature’s array of colors at sunrise were superb.
“What can we say, it was wonderful.
Brought back some memories that we should never forget.
But best of all was meeting Fred & Lesa & Mom & family &
letting us share a part of Xmas with you & Wow Lesa you are a good peach pie
baker. But now back to City Life.
Loved the history books.” Fred
and Barbara
“Thx for the cozy place, again!”
Clair, Kari, & Kendra
“Thank you for restoring, keeping & sharing your soddy.
What a peaceful pleasant evening we’ve had in this historic home.
Our dinner was delicious. I
especially liked the green beans.” Don
“Thank you. We loved it. We’ll
be back” Lucille
“I had a wonderful 55th Birthday here; reminded me of when I was
young.” Connie
“What a treasure you have here! I
thoroughly enjoyed the peace and quiet, all the history, the many
interesting things to read and most of all the deep tub!
The dinner was excellent!” Barb
“This was absolutely the best ‘get away’ we have ever had -
and it’s practically out our back door! (just
20 minutes away) We loved the peace
and warmth of the soddy and spent hours reading about Kansas history, which is
one of our favorite pastimes. We will
be back! Thank you for the
preservation of this place and for sharing it with us.”
Ken & Laurie
“A wonderful stress relieving experience.
Thanks for sharing this history with us.
Enjoyed the time to do some hand spinning and left a spindle for others
to use & try. God Bless you in
your Bed & Breakfast business! The
food was excellent too!” Pam
“We enjoyed your Minor Sod House and I especially enjoyed the articles
about historical people and events.” Fred
“We salute you Fred & Lesa for keeping alive the rich history of
life on the Great Plains! Thank you for a very unique experience.
Great Kansas hospitality combined with wholesome, and very relaxing,
peaceful countryside. This is at
the top of our list of things to do again.
From our outfit to yours, until we meet again, thank you.”
Michael, Pamela, Ethan, Eli
“A step back into history! Very
enjoyable! Thanks!!!” Lou
“Thank you so much. It was
quiet and so cozy. All the old
pictures & furnishings are wonderful as well as the books.
The only problem is a person needs to be here several days to really
enjoy all of it. Thank you.”
Eileen
“This is so nice & we’ve had a wonderful time.”
Sara
“I would love to come & stay for several days to walk, read, talk,
& sleep. Thank you so much.”
Phyllis “This was great! Sure brought back a lot of memories! Thank you so much!” Jean
“When I first found out my husband was going to surprise me on my
birthday with an overnight stay at a ’sod’ house...I just looked at him and
wondered what he had got me into....I soon found out it was an experience I’ll
never forget.. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
Lesa & Fred --The meal was outstanding, your hospitality was
overwhelming and the surroundings were so cozy I felt I was in another place in
time... so relaxing. Thank you so
much.” Karla
“P.S.
Thank you for the card.” “I could live here! Seriously! What a wonderful time we had. I had brought a bunch of paper work with me and wound up not getting hardly anything done! You can bet that I will be a regular customer as I have claimed this now as my get away spot! I do hope to bring my husband up here though as I know he would love it too! Thanks for the memories. Every year I kidnap my daughter & take her some place that she has no idea where she is going and that was here this time! We had a blast!” Victoria
“You did a wonderful job of combining the comforts of home with a taste
of prairie life. We enjoyed the solitude and peace - so different from the
hustle and bustle to which we are accustomed.
Thank you for your hospitality (especially for cooking a fantastic
vegetarian meal!) And for sharing
your history with us. This is an
experience we’ll never forget.
Jill & James “An absolutely unique historical experience with a fabulous meal. The old time charm and decor adds much flavor to the home. The historical books and conversation help complete the picture of how it must have been here long ago. We truly enjoyed the solitude. Thank-you for opening your home for this visit to the past.” Larry & Shelly
“Great Hunting, Lodging. Missed
the steak dinner, but the home cooked bread & pastry’s made up.”
Mitch
“Thanks very much for a very neat experience.”
Tim
“Wonderful time, wonderful meal! It
was nice to sit around with no TV or phone to distract us.
A good family experience!”
Michael,
Wanda, Dawn, Allison, Cody, Taylor,& Austin
“This was my ideal get-away & will probably never be duplicated.
Thanks for opening up your Soddy to us.”
Kristin
“What a treasure! Words
cannot describe what a quiet wonderful place this is.
Thanks for the history lesson and your hospitality.” Brian
“You are very fortunate to have this in your family and you have done
an excellent job of preserving it and sharing a part of your family history with
others.
“It was cool, windy and cloudy-the perfect day to sit inside a nice,
warm, cozy sod house and relax -- read about the history of the area and sod
houses. We have thoroughly enjoyed
our time here. Very delicious steak dinner. “After being born and living in a sod house for 15 years, this brought back many memories. From a history standpoint, the Hoyt family used the Minor Post Office and store during the 1910-1920 period, so this was neat! Enjoyed the steak very much!” Leon & Edna “We have really enjoyed our stay here. The peaceful opportunity to see more of the character of Kansas. The chance to learn more of the history of this area, great food and serenity of the evenings and mornings. Seeing the turkey walk thru the yard in the morning was great fun. We have some great stories to tell our friends and family about staying in a real Sod House.” Bill “We sure enjoyed meeting with you and visiting with you. I am sure we all would have made better ‘Frontier House’ people! We Kansans are true pioneer people. Thanks for a great stay!” Linda
“ I have done the family history of both of us back into the 1500’s
in Norway. All 16 of our great
grandparents were born in Norway and came to the U.S. in 1852, 1856, 1857, 1870.
Of course they came to where other Norskies came to Illinois, Wisconsin,
then Iowa and South Dakota. I know
some of the BERDAHL family went by wagon train from South Dakota and started in
sod houses. They would have been
thrilled with the size of this one. And
then to think of hot & cold running water, plumbing, and gas heat! “We will recommend this B&B to others; its unique, comfortable, homey. The supper was wonderful. We wish you success with this venture. We enjoyed visiting with you.” Tony & Esther
“We will be back. Hopefully
late fall or early winter. It was a
perfect experience”
Frank & Pati “What a perfect place to get away from it all. No phone, no people - no hustle & bustle of the everyday world. Thank you for a great time, great food & hospitality. May God bless you & the future of your Sod house!” Jack & Barbara “Really enjoyed my stay - the peace and quiet (except of course for our Kansas ‘breeze’) was wonderful. I will be back. May God bless you for caring for a truly unique family treasure.” Cindy
“My mother, Viola Minor Dull, was among the first residents of the
soddy in 1909, at age 12, 93 years ago. Phyllis
and I are delighted to be among the first visitors of the wonderfully modernized
soddy. You have done well keeping it basically authentic!
This was done beautifully & creatively throughout.
Thank you for a fantastic reunion with the soddy, and many friends and
relatives that sorta grew up here. Grandmother
and Granddad Minor would be most proud of you Fred and Lesa.”
With love and good wishes, Syd
and Phyllis “As the saying goes ~ ‘I could write a book.’ We’ve had such a wonderful time almost four days! Most of us have believed Santa was coming and did but... Here on our visit at the Minor Family Bed and Breakfast, thanks to Fred and Lesa’s wonderful restoration of the Soddy we’ve experienced more! A deep heart awakening. No radio, the phone only used for planning something special. Walking as far and where we wanted (like we did as kids). Seeing all nature’s marvels. At night the brilliance of the moon and more stars than we ever guessed. (We had forgotten how bright and there were so many). A deep, awesome soul awakening comes at the end of the discoveries and fun of the day. We are so thankful for our Minor Heritage, we can relive and share with others. A heartfelt thank you to Lesa and Fred for the careful restoration and hospitality. Not forgetting the delicious food. We hope to come back soon to do some things again and do the things we wanted to and didn’t have time. We love reading of guests experiences. Maybe your paths will cross someday.” Shirley and Jack
“We really enjoyed your unique little house.
Since I’m an antique buff also, it really appealed to me; it gave me
lots of ideas. I’m so glad Carla found your ad.
We’d probably never have found your place otherwise.
Thanks for all your kindness. The
meal was delicious!”
“Many thanks for a wonderful stay on our honeymoon, and for the very pleasant and informative conversation. We know that this is a busy time for you and we appreciate the time you spent giving us insight into the historical events of this area. I know I’ll take back the stories you told and tell my students in U. S. History. The solitude matched the wide-open beauty of this place, and the bright stars overhead complimented the experience. One can’t help but think back to what it was like when the Minors worked here day in and day out. This is a truly genuine historical experience, and a special destination for us and our family in the future. Thank you. Special thanks to Lesa for the great pecan pie & homemade bread. The card you left for us meant a lot. It will go into our wedding book. Fred, I’ll let you know when the program (your interview) for High Plains History airs on High Plains Public Radio.” Steve & Lynn
“We have enjoyed the quietness here in the country.
Thank you for the delicious dinner you fixed for us. Such a lovely Sod
House. We hope to return again
sometime. God bless all of you.” “Thank you for sharing your Soddy and heritage with us. It was a wonderful experience. You did a nice job of combining the old with the new. The turkeys, deer, and prairie dogs were fun to have as ’neighbors’. Dinner was delicious - the corn!” Fred & JoAnn “My California friends have not heard of a sod house. It was fun explaining how/why they were built. My grandfather, Joe Wright, was born in a soddy in Nebraska in 1868. The book on sod houses added so much to my knowledge. Staying here and going to the Steam Engine Show in Bird City made history of this area come alive. We were very comfortable. Thank you for making our stay enjoyable.” Dee “I really enjoyed staying in a sod house.” Tyler “You have a wonderful bed & breakfast. I still can’t believe you did this all on such a short time frame. Your knowledge of the history, wildlife and culture is extensive. And Lesa’s baking is terrific. Thank you so much for a wonderful time!” JoDee “Ewa and I thoroughly enjoyed staying in your one-of-a-kind B&B. The dinner was excellent - just right! Perfect place to stay between Wichita and Loveland, Col where the sculpture festival is held every August. The ‘peacefulness’ is overwhelming, the beds are comfortable, the air is pure, the birds are friendly, the whole place inside and out is pleasing to the eye. Thank you!” Rob & Ewa “This was the first soddie we have ever seen, and to spend the night was great. Thanks for the great lightning and thunder show and some rain. Loved being in this little sod house & feeling its past in many ways as we read about its History & of the Minor family. This venture of yours -Lesa & Fred will be a hit with everyone who stays here. The food was wonderful & thanks for the cinnamon bread. We had 4 visitors - 3 rabbits & a raccoon & must mention the Jays in the trees. Thanks again for the hospitality & the privilege to stay in the Soddie.” “Dee & Dee”
“We came so close to living 1933 without having a time machine;
drought, heat 101 degrees, wind 50 MPH gusts but no dust clouds, we are smarter
these days. What is happening here
needs to be experienced by all those spoiled ’X’ generation; this is
life!!!! Thank you, Fred &
Lesa. You have preserved the most
enjoyable history. “Lieb’s grandparents homesteaded land in Anthony, Ks. in the late 1800’s and built and lived in a Sod house for years. His grandfather collected & sold buffalo bones, hauled to Wichita, to be made into buttons. With this in Lieb’s history, coming & staying in a soddy was the perfect way to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary! Lesa & Fred, you have done a beautiful job of blending the old and the ’more comfortable’, and we can’t thank you enough for this lasting memory!” Lieb & Eileen
“What a change from our hectic lifestyle.
Brought back many memories and fondness of what life use to be.
Quiet, peaceful, great hospitality and the food was great!
Thanks for allowing us to experience an unique place!”
Spence & Carol
“The soddy brings back so many memories of my growing up in the 30’s
on the farm. Thank you for a lovely dinner & for sharing your soddy
with us. I’m going to let our
travelers & folks know about it back home.”
Howard & Vera
“Thanks for the trip back into the time of my childhood.” “Marvelous! It’s an honor to have someone share family ‘home’ & ‘history’ with us. Had a wonderful night - dinner was delicious. Had peach pie with morning coffee/tea. Saw deer, Cooper’s hawk, wren early morning.” Dale & Nellie
“We enjoyed our stay & enjoyed reading about the history of the
house and the county. We wrestled
with the beds, but ended up on the couch. I
guess we were too used to a modern mattress and box springs.
Thanks for accommodating our special food request.
The steak was great! We’ll
come back for the bread & pie! (when we’re thinner!)
“We thoroughly enjoyed our stay! Everything
was great! Thanks for sharing your
house with us. We’re so glad we
looked you up & were able to come. Our
supper was excellent & we enjoyed the historic reading.
It was nice meeting you and we’d love to come again.”
“Staying overnight in a soddy was the perfect ending to our Colorado,
Oklahoma, Kansas trip! Our
knowledge of western expansion was vague at best - staying here, reading your
excellent resources and listening to your stories made history come alive.
Thank you Fred for taking the time to drive us around this beautiful area
- again more lessons learned. Our
dinner and breakfast were perfect, Lesa. Thank
your for all your care & attention to details. We wish you well with the soddy, bumper crops next year and
continued good times with your family and Karin. Thank you.” “Thank you so much for our return stay! It was everything I was hoping for & the perfect start for our honeymoon - our ‘dream getaway’! The return to a beautiful, simpler life will draw us back here again & again - thanks! I have known all my life that I was born 100 years too late. Just 5 minutes sitting on the bench out front watching the sunset was all it took for me to realize what is truly important in life. This place should be a historic landmark!” Brian & Kristin “This was a delightful experience. Your ‘soddie’ is charming, so peaceful! No TV, telephone. etc. Thanks for sharing your house & history. We need more of this in our ‘plastic’ world. Your steak dinner was yummy - even homemade bread. May God continue to bless you both, Lesa & Fred, & your sweet grandson.” Erwin & Adeline
“I am an 85 year old born in my parents 1/2 dugout on their homestead
in Baca County Colo. I grew up
using all the things you have in your soddie.
I left the homestead in 1938 for the city life of Springfield Colo.
farmed & ranch life & the dirty 30’s of the dust bowl.
Model T FORD Coupe 1927 it is in Oregon now.
I hung up my saddle after spring roundup in 2001. French govt. gave me a gold medal for going into Normandy on
Utah Beach 1944. Our oldest
daughter & husband brought us to see this soddie.
Thank you for keeping the old place as your parents left it.
For all of us old timers to visit.”
Ike and Lida Mae
“My (Linda) own mother was a sodbuster in south-eastern Colo., as a
child, and two little graves still mark that spot.
I feel a strong connection with the past and all the life that has taken
place in this sturdy soddie in the last 100 years.
Your preserving this ‘living history’ is a tribute not only to your
fore bearers, but to all the courageous folks who struggled to live on this
great prairie. We’re grateful to
be able to immerse ourselves, if only briefly, in that drama.
Thank you.
“What a rare & magnificent balance of cozy comfort and cultural
heritage. May God bless your
efforts to preserve and share the historic past while also helping sustain your
present day agrarian
“Fred - Thank you for taking on such an adventure and sharing your
appreciation of history and Kansas with the rest of us. Lesa - What a wonderful way to honor your family.
Thank you both for opening a piece of history to live and experience.”
Trisha “Staying in this unique home is a very different experience and a nice bonus to our buffalo hunting at the Homestead Ranch with Ken and Laurie Klemm. My buddy and I really wouldn’t mind building our own SODDY somewhere for a hunting camp. I’m sure my wife would fall in love with this, if I ever bring her this way. HA!! P.S. Nice change of pace from the rate race. Thank you!“ John “When Ken & Laurie Klemm told us we were staying in a sod house I didn’t know what to expect. But now I’m glad I’ve stayed here. Very nice change from what we usually stay in. Had a great time. John and I got buffalo at the Homestead Ranch. Had a nice & quiet stay here. Thanks so much. Hope to do it again.” Dave “What a great time we had snow & all! The food was delicious. Kade kept us entertained & the cards were fun. After our “girls” nite out we slept in but had to have another round of Michigan rummy. Glad to see the sun shining bright.” Mom
“This is the best and most unique B&B I’ve ever stayed in, Fred
& Lesa! Beats anything we have
on the east coast. Guess you knew what you were doing, Fred, when you came up
with this rather “innovative” idea. (The family did wonder about it at the
time. Ha!) I would love to spend several days reading and exploring but
will have to save that for better weather and my next trip home.
I’ve always felt very connected to our family’s pioneer heritage so
naturally love everything you and Lesa have done to this place.
Thanks for sharing it with us. P.S. It was an extra special
treat to be here during a snow." Your Sis, Irma
“Thank you so much. It was
fun. Brought back many memories
when I was a young girl. We lived
through the type of live the people had who built this house. “Thanks so much for a great weekend. Dinner alone was worth the trip. Alma, our 2 1/2 yr. old, had a great time collecting eggs. Wish we had more time to finish reading your library. Brought me back to my Kansas roots.” Gary “We had a wonderful time. The house and dinner were great. We’ll be sure to tell our friends.” Mary
“What a very unique & special place!
Your dinner was excellent! 5*’s.
Topped off with “Apple Betty”! Stars
(up at 4AM)(still on Maine time, I’m afraid) are incredible.
The Big Sky of Montana has nothing on you. Got a kick out of your dark red/brown hen, She’s magnificent but a
little slow on the pecking order. Quite
funny to watch. Guess the “Golden
Buffs” rule the roost
here. Many many thanks for all the stories and your kindness.”
“To look in every direction and see nothing is Everything!
To hear oneself think is something that happens seldom - until coming
here. A place called ‘far away’
is a state of mind I search for and have found here.
The poet Keats described the feeling here well when he wrote ‘...thou
hast thy music too in the barred clouds that bloom the soft dying day/ and touch
the stubble plains with rosy hue/....And full grown lambs loud bleat from the
hilly borne/ hedge crickets sing and in treble soft/ the red breast whistles
from the garden croft/ and gathering swallows twitter in the open sky.’ (To
Autumn)
“ We have stayed in many restored places over the years and your sod
house shows the genuine care & historic interest of all that worked on it.
Linda & I have had a very good & unique experience here.
One can’t help but think of our past history & how our pioneers’
life was. We thank you all for
caring enough to save this experience for all of us.” “Wow! What a tremendous job you’ve done restoring your wonderful soddie. The whole experience far surpassed our expectations. Thanks for giving us this chance to get a feel for pioneer living (with all the modern updates). Your warm, genuine hospitality and good cooking made everything perfect.” Harold & Sue
“We checked in May 22 in the afternoon and knew we had chosen the
perfect place to celebrate our 60th anniversary!
The hospitality of the owner and her parents was delightful.
A special card make by the owner’s husband was an added joy.
We watched the wild turkeys, the prairie dogs, and four deer who paraded
by as we were walking. The evening
meal was delicious - the sunset was lovely - and our late evening view of the
stars was beautiful. It was a wonderful
day!
“What a Memorial Day! Truly
a step into history - it gave us a ‘feel’ for what Diana’s dad actually
lived. Thanks for a good rest,
wonderful food and nostalgic look at our recent history.
It was especially good to become acquainted with you both and to know our
host first hand. Can’t wait to
share this with friends and family!
“Wonderful from beginning to end!
We had forgotten how ‘dark’ the night is without city lights.
Thanks for a great memory.”
“What an enjoyable gift form our family!
We enjoyed the peace quiet and noninterrupted time to enjoy &
remember the past & present together.
“What a delightful experience! (Complete with a thunderstorm.)
Wonderful food, peace & quiet. Enjoyed
the music of the natural prairie. The stereo-viewer was great!
Thanks so much for the experience.” “We have returned for the second time. Last year - 2002 same date, it was 104 degrees. Today - very pleasant, nice breeze and we can walk and see the area. So many things to see and marvel at. Thanks you for everything.” Frank & Pat
“We were transported to a different time.
The peace and tranquility of this soddy is unmatched.
The presence of it’s past inhabitants welcomed us as their guests. As the thunderstorm swirled and blew around us we felt safe
and secure. Thank you to the
Minors, and thank you, Fred and Lesa, for making this experience possible.”
“A Place of Peace, Serenity, Tranquility.
The memories will linger long! The
coolness of the Soddy on a hot pm. The
song of birds in the waning afternoon. The
aroma of grilling streaks to go with the gorgeous meal & yummy peach pie.
The gentle breezes I spectacular sky.
The sightings of turkey(s), & deer.
Watching & being in the approaching storm, fierce winds, &
eventual gentle rain pattering on the roof top.
Feeling snug & tucked in for a great restful sleep.
Morning sunshine & cool breezes, fresh eggs from clucking chickens
for breakfast, books to read, time to BE. An
unforgettable experience - THANKS.”
“The pages of time were turned back for us in this unbelievable
setting. The artifacts of the past
placed around the interior brought back many memories of my life in Greenwood
County. The food was especially
good. Fred’s grilling of the
steaks was perfect. We didn’t know what to expect but the results are more than
we imagined. Yes, it has been a
fabulous outing for us. P. S. We
were sure Fred was taking us up to Nebraska when he led us out here.”
“This has been delightful. We
thoroughly enjoyed the trip back to yesteryear and all the memories it brought
back. The peacefulness is very restorative.
“What fun to play being a child again.
The big outside, earth and nature noises - the cool morning - what
blessings! Thank you for sharing. Emily & Ethel both lived in a soddy when they wee kids in Arthur
County, Neb. So this was a real treat for them.”
“Dear Friends, We enjoyed
our time here in your Bed & Breakfast.
We enjoyed the home grown eggs and the home made bread and the muffins.
“We were sitting on the bench on the west side of the house breathing
in the fresh air and enjoying a beautiful South wind.
I am still full from last night’s gourmet meal.
Fred just left after a little emergency care for Levi who fell in the
middle of the night. Breakfast was
wonderful including fresh picked eggs. As
far as I can see it is Kansas Prairie... beautiful.
Everything about our stay was wonderful.
We will return I am certain. We
would love to come on a cold winter day. You
have done a great job restoring a wonderful piece of history.
Thanks so much for the wheat - we’ll be grinding it for flour soon!” “Dear Lesa, I love your bread.” from, Aimee
“It has been an honor to share a bit of your family’s history, and
that of this region of the Kansas Plains. Your
sod house is cozy and comfortable, and we have enjoyed waking up to the fresh
morning air & the birds singing, the delicious freshly laid eggs, the
peaceful nights and reading up on the fascinating history of this area.
It has been humbling and impressive to think that we are staying in the
same house where early inhabitants of this state worked s had and against great
odds to carve out a living. That
they make this house with their bare hands and that is still stands is a
wonderful legacy that must make your family proud.
“My stay was too brief, but for a short time I could step back in time
and feel a bit more connected to the earth.
It was such a pleasure to sit out sided and watch the sun set and watch
the lightning skirt the area. I was
lulled to sleep by the rain softly falling outside.
This is my first trip to Kansas and I will leave with a very positive
feeling about the land and people here. This
was a very pleasant experience. Thank
you for your hospitality.”
“It was so much fun bringing my grandson so he could experience this
bit of disappearing history. We
listened to the old Jack Benny Show tape and had a blast laughing his jokes.
This is a memory we will both cherish.”
“This was a surprise, the food was great and the soddie very clean.
Thanks for all the information on the history of the area. We have had a good tome being with friends and being in a
quiet relaxing place.”
“We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We
had good friends, good food and great information for Fred about the area.
Thanks Fred and Lesa!”
“It was wonderful being able to share in some history.
I loved reading the family stories.
Taking walk around the yard and visiting chickens!
Mike & I enjoyed watching the sunset while a farmer was baling hay,
his dogs keeping the cattle off the hay, it was beautiful.
The food was great! #1 so
far on our Kansas Trip! It reminds
Mike of staying on his Grandparent’s farm!”
Mike
& Donna
“I cannot begin t express to you how very much this experience means to
me. Thomas & Mary Ann are my
great-great-grandparents. My
grandfather, Clifford Minor, lived here in this soddy with them during part of
the depression. He & my grandmother, Elsie Highland, met on horseback at
the creek alongside the soddy. My
grandparents were tremendously involved in my life! Words could never give them the honor they deserve!
I was ecstatic to hear that you had restored the soddy.
To be here has been one of my most profound experiences ever!
Grandpa has been gone 14 years this November. His memory is preserved here.
I love it! You cannot
imagine how special I feel to be blessed to have this soddy to come to.
Thank you Fred for the vision & determination.
Thank you both for the countless hours you that you have put into it.
Lesa, your parents are wonderful! It
felt like a dream sitting next to Buell & talking to Grandpa’s first
cousin. I wish Grandpa &
Grandma could see this. They always
talked about it. To stay in the
same home of my great-great grandparents is something I will never forget.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity!
“What a delightful experience! After visiting with the Juenemann’s and Kade, we ate a delicious dinner, and then spent a quiet, romantic evening looking at stars and listening to Burns and Allen. Thanks, Fred, for sharing a lot of information and history. This place provided a much-needed rest for our souls.” Althea & Burt “What an experience - brings back old memories of my childhood. I hate t admit I used these appliances at one time but I did. The little house is so precious.” Bonnie
“I’m going home and tell everyone they must ‘go west’ and stay in
this neat place!! Thank you for
everything - you’ve made our first night away from home one to member!!”
Audrey
“We have really enjoyed our stay!
We spent the evening reading the history of the place and
area. Thank you Lesa for the bread & muffins.
They were great! I imagine
it was fun to collect all the neat things in the house & decorate it.
“Thank you both for everything that you did to make our stay something
we will never forget. The food was
all wonderful, especially the bread and muffins.
We’ll enjoy telling our grandchildren about our stay here.
Bob and I read stories to each other (lots of fun). Thank you and God bless both of you!"
Carol & Bob
“The first thing to consider is that it takes a special kind of person
to decline the predictability and ‘frequent guest points’ of the chain
hotels. Add to that the fact that
one must ‘seek out’ the unique country inns and bed and breakfast
establishments: They’re not in
the AAA guidebooks with three and four diamond ratings; they don’t show up on
Map Quest; they often require one to leave the Interstate highway to drive on
two lane and even (gasp) dirt roads. So
its’ Providence - a bit of a miracle - that you have any guests at
all. The second thing to consider is your location.
You know that Brewster, Kansas doesn’t even show up on the AAA map of
Kansas, don’t you? As we drove
across this state today, we had two or three people ask us where we were going. When we tell them ’near Amarillo, Texas’ - they look at
us like we’re crazy people - and when they find out we picked our route just
so we could stay the night in ‘No where”-- they are struck dumb and
the conversation ends quickly. Perhaps
they’ve never experienced the disconnectedness that happens between two busy
people. Paul and I love each other
and have been married 15 years, but lately it feels like we’ve been
‘parallel’ to each other instead of together.
So we planned this trip to reconnect.
We’ve made the journey part of the vacation, and this cozy,
quiet, teeny little house is an important part of that.
Thanks for creating a space where couples can get away, get together, get
recharged, then get back at it. We
know we’ll be back again. Someday.
“Thank you for the ‘original experience’ of staying in a sod house.
This fit in well with our journey to visit Beecher Island to see where
some Lincoln Co. people ended up many years ago. We enjoyed the visit with Lesa & Kade, (Sorry we missed
Fred.) and reading about the Minor Family and the history in this area.
This is our kind of thing, being farm people.
You’ve got a good thing. Keep
it going.
“I looked forward to this for over a year.
It was worth waiting for - the hospitality, the history and the food!
I’ll look forward to doing this again and bringing my other sister.”
“When my mother asked me, do you think its silly to go all that way to
stay in a Bed & Breakfast? My
reply was no. What kind of B&B. She
said a ’unique’ one. Boy was
it. I can’t really say anymore
than what other guests have said. The
food was excellent & all the history. Fred
was so enthusiastic telling the history around here. We thought we got special attention. But Fred & Lesa have a way of doing that with all their
guests. The bed & chamber pot
brought memories of my grandparents. We
had lots of fun with the chamber pot, the bonnet, & everything with
pictures. I had gotten black &
white film so I think we’ll have wonderful memories. I can’t wait to bring my children & grandchildren.
In all that I read about the rattlesnakes in the sod home, how they get
in the wall & you could find them sunning in the morning window.
This soddy is very ‘tight’, not even dust.
Because I know when I get home I’ll need to dust.
We had loads of fun! Thanks
for making that possible.
P. S. The stocked pantry of
snacks was wonderful.”
“I had such a good time here. It
brought back so many things from my childhood.
I am so glad my sister gave me this.”
“This is perfect for the guidebook!
It’s the total experience that is so grand.
Meeting in Brewster and following you through the beautiful
countryside….initially exploring the place, anticipating sinking my teeth into
Lesa’s bread (it was great!), and checking out the surroundings. I took the 30 mile drive along Beaver Creek, past the Dewey Ranch, to
Atwood. Spectacular!!
Saw deer, turkey, & plenty of hawks.
The drive on U.S. 36 to McDonald was also good.
I had a tremendous experience in the McDonald grocery and at the Frosty
Mug. Everyone at ‘the Mug’ was
interested in this place! I typed up my notes from the day, read the Dewey-Berry feud story and
just relaxed. Stars were awesome. “Thanks for working around both of our schedules to make our stay at the soddy possible. You have the soddy fixed up so warm and inviting that you can’t help but feel at home. The books and maps about the area were fascinating.” Larry, Ann, Felicia
“We thoroughly enjoyed our annual retreat to the soddy again this year.
This home is genuinely historic, amazingly peaceful, and worker fully
cozy. We are sincerely grateful for
all the effort you put into preserving & presenting this treasure for our
benefit & for others. We are
already looking forward to next year’s visit!
God Bless.”
“Our first trip here filled me with enough peaceful & still
memories to last a year. This trip has provided the same.
May God Bless your year.”
“I don’t even know where to start!
You have done a fantastic job on the soddie!
I first saw the house about 10 yrs ago and I thought it was fantastic,
but what you have done here is more than just ‘fixing up’ an authentic part
of history. Sharing that part of your family and heritage with others,
not by words but by the feel that my family had walking into the house and back
into another time, was wonderful. Thank
you so much!”
“Living in a world where we are bombarded by news, cell phones, pagers
and constant noise, the prairie and peace of this home was a welcome
respite. Spending time without the distractions of our busy world
helps one to find what is important - family.
As all of our children grow and become scattered it is important for me,
for us, to remember our heritage and those who came before that made all this
possible. Next years and years and
years after that, the celebration of this New Years and spending it here in the
soddie will be a treasured memory.”
“Thank you so much for offering this very unique experience.
The dinner and muffins were excellent.
It was so nice to enjoy the simple life and realize how noisy our lives
are! Thanks again for your
hospitality!”
“I wanted to do something ‘special’ for Gus’ birthday and I think
I succeeded. I spent several hours
on the internet looking at many bed & breakfasts, trying to find just
the right one. When I say this one,
I knew my search was over. It was
perfect. So quiet & peaceful-a place to kick back and get away
from life’s daily grind. Was nice
to be just the two of us. We had a
wonderful, romantic evening. Breakfast
was enjoyable with the farm fresh eggs & homemade bread.
Nice not to have to rush around to meet a ‘check out’ time.
Thank you so much for your hospitality and for providing such a place.
Hope to return again sometime.”
“Thanks once again for your hospitality!
We so enjoy coming here-it’s our little refuge from the daily life of a
busy business and 5 children. We
really need to do this more often! We’ll
be coming back, hopefully sooner than our last time here.
Thanks Neighbors!”
“What an experience for this city girl!
Having lived in the heart of Chicago for the past eleven years before
moving to Kansas City recently (where I also live in the city) the countryside
is rather foreign to me but I love it. My
work on old church buildings in Chicago took me to the worst inner city
neighborhoods you can imagine where I saw a lot of scary things.
However, in my mind, the absolute dark & quiet out here rivals all
those scary things! I thoroughly
enjoyed my stay here though! It was
great to go to sleep when I got tired & wake up with the sun.
Your restoration of this soddy is important work as it allows people a
glimpse into the farming culture of the past that is such a part of our American
heritage. And from what I’ve read
in this book people love it! I
would love to come back, with the company of my husband, to see the stars and
maybe a storm. I bet the storms are
tremendous out here! I’m staying
at about 13 B&Bs during my 4-week trek across the state surveying historic
theater and this is surely one of the most unique ones.
Thank you for the bread Lesa. I’ll
enjoy it the rest of my week out. I’m
off for a solitary stroll in the country before I hit the road.
Thanks again!”
“Thanks for a wonderful stay and unique B&B experience.
Last night it felt like we were driving ‘home’ from McDonald &
the Frosty Mug (thanks for the suggestion, by the way).
Even though we’ve lived our whole lives in Kansas, it seems we hadn’t
really ‘experienced’ life as Kansans until we stayed a night in a soddy.
Thanks for preserving and being so proud of this heritage.
May it be passed on for another century to treasure!
Thanks for the delicious bread. Also
it was a pleasure to get to meet Kade.”
“What a delightful experience! Prairie
life certainly agrees with us. We
enjoyed reading the history books and exploring the area.
You served one of the best steak dinners we’ve ever had.
The steaks were cooked to perfection!
Your breads were delicious too. I’d
love the cinnamon recipe.
“This is a great place for Turkey Hunters.
The accommodations are wonderful, the food excellent & you are great
hosts. We will be back.” “Nice to be ‘Back Home Again.’” Janet
“This is a great place.”
Willia “We want to thank you for the wonderful & relaxing stay. It was nice to meet you and share dinner together – the meal was delicious and the company was very much enjoyed. We went for a walk to the creek where we saw deer and turkey – time went too fast. Thanks again for the time and place to do nothing but relax!” Randy & Teri
“Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to experience your
family heirloom – The Minor Family Sod House.
You provided us with every comfort and possible need, and the prairie
with its peaceful solitude and quiet beauty was inspirational.
You are wonderful hosts. Fred,
we enjoyed your stories about the house and the surrounding area’s history.
And Lesa, you are a great cook – our meals were delicious and very
generous! You and the Soddy have given us a unique and memorable experience we will
always cherish. We look forward to
our next visit to the Minor Family Sod House – we sincerely hope to return!”
“The Bed & Breakfast was a gift from my beautiful wife for our
anniversary. The peace & quiet
you have here is incredible. The
‘Old Soddy’ is in great shape & the dinner you provided was wonderful.
We both wondered how our Grandparents and Great Grandparents grew up.
Now we have experienced a more modern (A.C. included) soddy.
The history books & stories were wonderful.
We both can’t believe anyone could survive without an icebox or
refrigerator. We will pass this
place on to our family & friends as everyone should experience a wonderful
piece of history.” “It’s been a wonderful experience staying here at this wonderfully preserved soddy. What a great combinations of modern convenience & pioneer life. So nice to be able to get a glimpse into the past & a feel for what life around the turn of the century was like, but also have indoor plumbing & a nice kitchen! You’ve done a great job in keeping the soddy authentic-looking but very comfortable. Hope we can come back some day. We’ll never forget the big storm!” Kathleen & Scott
“We enjoyed our stay in a ‘soddy’.
Jerry is ready to move back to the country.
Thank you for sharing this with us.” “Symphony, a Prelude of meadowlarks and crickets,
Creshendo
of wind through the cottonwoods, “What a unique experience to stay in a real Sod house. I’m so glad we found it. Dan & Carol (June 9. 03) told us about it. Thank you for creating this glimpse of the past (and the modern conveniences we think we must have). When the storm blew over at midnight we felt secure and safe in this soddy. Thank you. R. O.
“Smiles, innerpeace, touching the past, embracing the present, hope for
the future – the constance of the meadowlark, deer, owls, & redheaded
woodpeckers – a wonderful retreat! The
best of the whole trip. Blessings
& Peace.”
“We enjoyed your unique facility and the surrounding area.
It was like ‘returning home’ for some of us.
The food was excellent and we were very comfortable. Thank you for your hospitality.”
“Thank you for such a delightful peaceful stay.
We saw the wild turkey, rabbits, deer, and, even a coyote, I think, paid
us a visit. This is the highlight
of our trip to Kansas. Forgot to
mention how great the food was.”
“We had a great stay. You
could just imagine what it was like to have a house full working and living out
here in the early days. Lots more
fun than reading about it? And the
summer storm was awesome. There was
a complete rainbow afterwards – it was beautiful.
Visiting with you guys, the food, the history books, the view… the
whole thing was a wonderful adventure. You
can be sure I’ll be talking it up back home.”
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