Restored "Cleveland Cottage" to Host HART Fundraising Event

The owners of the Cleveland Cottage in Deer Park will offer a look at a fascinating piece of Garrett County history during "A Nostalgic Evening at the Cleveland Cottage" on Saturday September 13, from 5 to 8 p.m.  All proceeds will benefit the HART for Animals Building Fund.

The event will be the first opportunity for the public to see the completely resorted Victorian house in all its former splendor and the view its President Cleveland memorabilia.  Guests will tour the entire house and enjoy complimentary wine, beer, soft drinks and gourmet food from DC's Bar and Restaurant at Wisp Resort, the Fireside Deli and Wine Shop and Archie's Barbeque. 

The history of the "Cleveland Cottage" is both romantic and intriguing.  President Cleveland, the only sitting president ever married while in office, staged a near-secret White House wedding.  He surprised the world by marrying Frances Folsom, the 21-year-old daughter of a woman whom the press had wrongly identified as the bride.  In a masterful ploy, the 49-year-old president eluded everyone and took off for his honeymoon in the Allegany Mountains of Maryland.  His destination was Cottage 2 (now known as the Cleveland Cottage) of the Deer Park Hotel, which become the most famous house in America for a few days in June 1886.

Never recovering from the effects of the Great Depression, the Deer Park Hotel was razed in 1942 an its cottages deteriorated.  The changing fortunes of the Cleveland Cottage up to the restoration undertaken by the current owners are detailed in the January/February 2006 issue of Preservation magazine, copies of which will be available at the event.

Nothing quite prepares the visitor for the attention to detail now to be seen in the cottage.  From authentic light fixtures and antiques to period wallpaper, radiators, and brass door hardware, the Cleveland Cottage brings to life the beauty and ambiance of the Victorian era.

Admission is limited to 150 people.  Tickets, which are expected to sell out quickly, can be purchased by mail at $50 per person.  Please, no children under 12.  Tickets can be purchased by sending a check made out to HART for Animals, Inc., PO Box 67, Oakland MD 21550.   Write "Cleveland Cottage" on your check and include a phone number.

HART for Animals, Inc. is a  510(c)(3) organization, established in Oakland in 2003 to rescue homeless animals in Garrett County.  For additional information, visit www.hartforanimals.org or email giving@hartforanimals.org