There’s an elevated place in Berks County where healing, history and hospitality have established a unique destination for nearly a century and a half.
That locale is known by many as the South Mountain near the Borough of Wernersville.
The mountain, really more of a large hill, has been the site of sanitoriums for both physical and mental respite and of hotels ― some truly grand ones now relegated to the local history books.
Yet, as experience teaches us, history can repeat itself in some very good ways.
On land that once held tuberculosis sanitoriums, the world-renowned Caron Foundation has a sprawling campus devoted to helping addicted individuals, the famous as well as everyday folks, return to sobriety.
Nearby that institution, a venerable mansion is now open, even as it continues to be renovated, to welcome guests looking for a quiet place in a stunning natural setting to relax or recharge.
Photos By John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
Reveling In The Old
The old mansion, once the home to department store magnate George S. Pomeroy, Sr., is now the South Mountain Inn. Owners Kedri and Matt Metzger made a huge life change to purchase the property and invest in its renovation.
The couple, along with their four young children, were living in what Kedri refers to as a “radical” inner-city Baltimore neighborhood.
The location was good early on when considering their careers ― Matt was involved on a director level with several housing groups, including Habitat for Humanity, while Kedri was an immigration attorney. But, with their growing family, their demanding jobs were taking tolls on them directly as well as their time with the children. With the oldest in elementary school, issues with the urban schools became concerning.
Photos By John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
On top of that, they’d just lost a close friend to addiction.
The couple decided it was time for a real lifestyle change.
As they perused Zillow, they came upon the property along East Galen Hall Road in South Heidelberg Township. Its bucolic setting, its open space for the family and the opportunity to change careers by operating a small hostelry were all selling points. In 2018, the deal was struck.
When the Metzgers first moved in, the family ― as had the previous owners ― lived in the main house. Initially, they rented out the five original guest rooms, continuing a prior agreement with The Caron Foundation, which offered them to visiting families of clients.
But, with the onset of the pandemic in 2020, things would change. The Metzgers took an assessment of the property and their future prospects for the inn and decided to invest significantly in themselves and a new business model.
Photos By John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
Hillside Room
Family Settles In
The spacious carriage house across the lane from the mansion would become the family home, providing privacy and a separation of sorts from the business.
“Our living room faces the woods,” says Kedri. “When we’re in there, we can feel removed from the inn and the guests. That’s really important for the children.”
The Metzgers have expanded the inn’s possibilities for special events such as weddings, showers, birthday and anniversary parties and corporate functions. Clients can engage their own vendors to provide meals for large gatherings.
Two new patios provide additional fairweather entertainment spaces. There is a lovely pathway to a new stairway, which connects the large wrap-around porch ― with its stunning miles-long view to the Blue Mountains of northern Berks ― to the front patio.
The spacious three-room first floor, a public space with three original fireplaces, boasts original features such as pocket doors, which can be closed to enable break-out sessions for corporate/nonprofit group retreats.
Photos By John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
Room(s) At The Inn
The Metzgers have increased the number of guest rooms to 10, each different in size and shape. Each bears a name of one of the numerous former hotels on South Mountain in its 19th- and early 20th-century heydays. Also in each, a photo of the namesake structure and its history are displayed.
“We wanted to keep the ethos of the old resorts,” Kedri says, “the history of healing on this mountain. We want to connect the culture of the past to the current day.”
The largest, of course, would be named Grandview in honor of that once iconic resort, the remains of which are within walking distance of the inn. A huge framed photo of the Grandview commands a prime position in the suite. Amenities include a large bathroom with a double sink, soaking tub and shower. The tile, as in all the rooms, harkens to the original style of the structure.
The first-floor Walnut Room, ADA accessible, has an attached private porch, two powder rooms and the same architecturally faithful décor as the other guest rooms, such as the Highland (a double-queen-bed room that can sleep four), Hillside, Sunnyside (light-filled thanks to expansive bay windows), Mountain View (lives up to its name), Carriage (highlight: golden afternoon light filtered through holly trees) and the Sycamore, which Kedri describes as a more traditional single room.
Photos By John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
The Aerie Suite is just short of being a fullfledged apartment (no stove, folks!) with a large living space, bedroom with door and two televisions. It is popular for families with small children.
One of the most intriguing spaces is the Turret Suite.
Likely once a sleeping porch, the turret interior is now a seating area with original beadboard walls and that remarkable northern view. There is a separate bedroom and bath.
All totaled, the 10 rooms/suites can sleep 24. Kedri says booking the entire weekend for reunions or weddings is an advantage for that number of guests. Amenities include robes, a hair dryer, specialty bath soaps, shampoos and personal items as well as cookies and a hot pot in each room.
While the Metzgers do not offer full breakfasts, they do deliver freshly baked muffins and freshly brewed coffees and teas to occupied rooms each morning.
Photos By John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
Mountain View Room
Caring With Caron & History
While the prior owners pretty much lodged only Caron-affiliated visitors, the inn, under the Metzgers, welcomes the general populace while still maintaining a relationship with the establishment.
“Monday through Friday every other week, we serve as a ‘lodging partner’ with Caron’s Breakthrough program,” says Kedri. The clients are shuttled over to nearby Caron during the day and then return to the inn to revel in its peaceful environment, both inside and outside.
She says interacting with Caron has served, in a personal way, as an ongoing memorial to the friend the couple lost to addiction.
The renovation of the inn has been a challenge, melding modern building code requirements with its storied past.
Local historian Michelle Lynch notes it was originally known as the Anthony Mansion, built around 1897 as a private residence for Harry and Lucretia Anthony. Half a dozen years later, Pomeroy, who partnered in 1876 with Josiah Dives and John Stewart to found the chain of local department stores, bought the mansion to Mountain View Room serve as a summer artist studio for his sister.
Pomeroy and his wife had previously acquired some nearby farmland and built their own hillside home to be known as Glen Tilt. It still stands and is part of Caron. The family, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, also owned perhaps a dozen other nearby plots of land.
George Pomeroy died in 1925 and his sister Lillie in 1942, three years after selling their family mansion. The structure went through seven successive owners before it was converted to a bed and breakfast by Kyle and Jennifer Robinson in 2007. Kyle, a Caron alumnus, linked the inn to the establishment.
Kedri says the couple undertook the extensive renovation knowing it would be costly and that some surprises might arise.
The old radiators were removed as an entirely new HVAC system with the requisite fire suppression sprinkler system has been installed. Since that has recently occurred, Kedri notes small patches of wall still need to be replastered and repainted as well as some hardwood flooring repair.
Photos By John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
Mountain View Room
All the guest room windows have been replaced for ease of use. However, many original panes remain in the first-floor windows. On a sunny day, a bit of waviness in the glass surface offers testimony to the material’s age and sturdiness.
The three original chimneys shared one chimney. While the mantel and surrounds have remained intact, each will be retrofitted prior to being placed in use again.
Kedri praises the contractors with whom the couple has worked, in particular Eric Keller of Peak Construction.
“He’s our third-floor local contractor; actually, he’s really more of a friend,” she says.
She also lauds the ease of working with Tompkins Community Bank.
"...THE HISTORY OF healing ON THIS MOUNTAIN. WE WANT TO CONNECT THE culture OF THE PAST TO THE CURRENT DAY."
Photos By John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
Coloring With Nature
The hues throughout the house are soft blues (a favorite hue is Palladium blue), yellows and greens to reflect and complement the natural setting.
“We wanted to create a soothing, peaceful environment that blends in with nature,” Kedri says.
Indeed, improvements planned by the couple also include creating walking paths in the property’s woods. The intent is to create “little pockets of fun” along the path, one perhaps being a small table and chair underneath a vintage chandelier draping from a sturdy tree limb.
One of the amenities of the inn is perhaps unique among lodging sites regionally: a paddock featuring miniature donkeys.
They double as the family pets with affectionate, docile, canine-like personalities and are always happy to sidle up to the fence and greet visitors. (No feeding allowed as they are on special diets!)
Photos By John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
When the Metzgers purchased the original two donkeys from a Lebanon County farmer, they were unaware of the dual pregnancies. Soon, the small herd numbered four, and the babies, one of which needed early care, are duly referred to as “my little boo boos” by Kedri.
“Life can be really heavy,” she says, “even when you make the right decision like we did. Everyone needs a little bit of miniature donkey ― they’re my valium.”
Photos By John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
Family Affair
Caring for the donkeys, the inn, the carriage house and the property is a family endeavor with the children pitching in.
Ariel, at 17 and a senior at Conrad Weiser High School, handles much of the mowing and landscaping. In his spare time, he’s an accomplished percussionist who practices in the old stables off the carriage house. RuthAnn, 15, Emma, 12, and Corin, 10, are all assigned a variety of chores, including some housekeeping and caring for the donkeys’ paddock.
“The kids all work for us in the summer, and we pay them,” Kedri says. Having grown up from age 2 to 10 on a campground her parents managed in Kansas, she knows the value of family working together.
Photos By John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
One Of A ‘Select’ Few
The combined efforts of renovation and family work have created an establishment of such high quality that has earned a spot on Select Registry, one of only 20 such independently operated inns in Pennsylvania to acquire the status. Among the criteria for selection: curated experiences, products and services for guests, hiking trails and outdoor activities on the property or nearby, innkeepers involved with their communities and the facility’s connection to the history and culture of the area. The South Mountain Inn checks those boxes.
The Metzgers welcome visitors, even those not lodging overnight, to visit the property grounds, including a stop by the paddock.
The couple, while reveling in the rural life, stays connected to their past careers in their community work here. Matt works for Habitat for Humanity of Berks County. Kedri serves on the board of Bethany Children’s Home where she assists in reuniting émigré minors separated from their parents at the border.
They look to cross market the inn by working with the Pennsylvania Americana Region visitors bureau and partnering with local small businesses.
The Metzgers are particularly proud of the Select Registry designation and the plaque next to the front door noting it.
Kedri especially likes the motto of Select Registry: “Stay for the story.”
Her husband concurs, based on a comment made to historian Lynch in an interview. “We see ourselves as part of a long line of caretakers,” Matt says, “part of the history of the property.”
143 N. Galen Hall Rd., Wernersville | 610.678.5765 | thesouthmountaininn.com
