An estate second to none, The Squirrel Inne originally served as the carriage house of the Stoneleigh Estate.
Stoneleigh’s history dates back to 1877 when Edmund Smith, a rising executive with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, purchased 65 acres of land in Villanova and constructed a residence there. To shape the grounds, Smith hired landscape gardener Charles H. Miller, who trained at Kew Gardens in England and later served as chief gardener for Fairmount Park.
At the turn of the 20th century, Samuel Bodine, head of United Gas Improvement Company, acquired the property. In addition to building the Tudor Revival style building that exists today, Bodine hired New York landscape architecture firm Pentecost and Vitale to radically redesign the gardens in a more formal, or “Beaux Arts,” style.
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Evidently, Bodine was not pleased with the results. In 1908, he retained the Olmsted Brothers of Massachusetts— sons of Frederick Law Olmsted, and the most prestigious landscape architecture firm in the country—to “guide him in the gradual transformation of the place.” Over the next 50 years, the Olmsted Brothers firm returned periodically to Stoneleigh to plan vistas and pathways, establish gardens and terraces, reroute points of entry, select plant species, and transplant trees.
Following Samuel Bodine’s death in 1932, Stoneleigh was subdivided and sold. Otto Haas, entrepreneur and co-founder of Rohm and Haas Company, purchased the south western portion of the estate, launching a more than 80-year tenure of careful stewardship by the Haas family. Otto and Phoebe’s son, John, and his wife, Chara, acquired the property in 1964 and lived there for the next five decades.
Come Visit Us
Location Filming & Production
Whether you’re looking to capture images for your next merchandise catalog, shoot a short film, directing a music video, or your’re producing something for the big screen, The Squirrel Inne provides the perfect setting.
Rental Accommodations
(Summer 2021)
The Squirrel Inne boasts two quaint accommodations for short term stays – The Cottage and the Guest Suite. Visit us on AirBnb to learn more and to book your stay. Lodging is currently booked, and will be available beginning summer 2021.
Villanova, PA
The Main Line is a historic and social region of suburban Philadelphia. Conveniently located between New York and Washington D.C., and only a short drive away from Valley Forge Park and The City of Brotherly Love, the Main Line is the perfect place for your next production. From Steven Star restaurants and high end shopping to pristine gardens, be sure to check out all the Main Line has to offer.
Make A Reservation
Love what you see? Reach out to us to reserve time at our beautiful space.
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