Originally the home of Henry Stone, Frank LaGrotta, and his wife, Rose, purchased the farm on Rabbit Hill Rd. in 1913. Through additional land purchases and the acquisition of a Yale farm lease, the property swelled to 400 acres by the time the LaGrotta Inn opened in 1936. Equipped with a 42 x 96 ft spring-fed swimming pool which Frank himself dug by hand, the inn welcomed guests until 1966.
We rented the inn in the early 70’s. What an experience! I remember a room at the head of one of the long hallways where all the rooms’ mattresses were stored. We stacked them up practically to the ceiling, creating slides and bouncing around the room while listening to AM radio. Whenever I hear “Sylvia’s Mother,” I’m transported to that room.
We’d love to capture your experience as part of our oral history project. I’m assuming you are not local. Perhaps, a telephone interview?
I’m a neighbor from Washington, and I have been photographing the old farm on the top of the hill for 15 years and am looking to put photos together with a bit of history of the farm. I wonder if in your research of the Inn near the bottom to the hill you came on info regarding the farm at the top?
I would be happy to look in to anything we might have on file. Are you referring to the farm with the large silo near Jack Corner Rd.?
Thank you,
Heather,
WHS Curator