Reaching the Summit

by Sandra Scott

My husband and I were taking a picture of the 1930 Buick in front of the Summit Inn near Farmington, PA, when the Inns owner, Randall Harris, pulled up in his Russo Red 2002 Porsche. Then a guest arrived in a 1951 Hudson Hornet. What a metaphor for the Inn. The inn has spanned nearly 100 years and cars have been part of the history since the beginning.

Summit Inn is located on the National Road. The National Road was built between 1811 and 1834 to connect Cumberland, Maryland to the Ohio River, earning the nickname "The Main Street of America." Before the Inn was built huge Conestoga wagons rumbled over the summit as settlers made their way west. Summit Inn was built in 1907 and grew in size and popularity as the automobile worked its way into everyday life and the National Road became US 40 and part of a coast-to-coast highway.

Visitors arriving at Summit Inn truly understand the meaning of "summit," especially when approaching from the west on the National Road. The upgrade has long been a test of a cars power and often earned the owners bragging rights about the power of their vehicle. George Washington never slept at the Summit Inn but he would have had it been built during his time. Washington, in his pre-president days, helped to secure this part of the frontier before the Revolutionary War. Even if Washington never stayed there many notables have. The Summit Inn has hosted many famous in the history of the automobile including Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and Barney Oldfield. They liked to bring their newest vehicles along to test its strengths and weaknesses on Summit Mountain.

It was easy to envision the 1930 Buick and other vehicles chugging up Summit Mountain in record time and their owners entering the Inn lobby, with its grand staircase and Stickley furnishings, ready to regale other Summit Inns guest with their cars performance.

Today's owners, Karen and Randall Harris, are just as proud of the past as they are of the present. They are carrying on a family tradition started by Karens father who purchased the rapidly deteriorating property in 1958 and restored it to its former glory.

And the traditions continue. On Sunday, June 25, 2006 the Great Road Race will once again go rumbling by on the second stage of the race on their way to the pit stop in nearby Uniontown, Pa. The Summit Inn, with one of the few wide, grand hotel porches is sure to full of car enthusiasts cheering on their favorite racer. Long after the racers have passed by Summit Inn guests will be sitting in their high back rockers discussing the race as they look down in the valley at Uniontown. After the lights of Uniontown come on they will adjourn to the inns Great Hall and sit in front of the large stone fireplace and talk cars the Porsche, the Hudson, and the Buick will surely be part of the conversation as will planning the next days activities that may include "driving" a few golf balls on the Inns golf course.

www.summitinnresort.com
www.greatrace.com

Images by Sandra Scott and Summit Inn and Resort