Rural retreat: Far from any city, White Oak Inn offers an escape from urban bustle

Oct 12, 2008 (The Columbus Dispatch - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- WMT | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- DANVILLE, Ohio -- A quiet little inn with big, comfortable rooms, good food and friendly and knowledgeable hosts might be enough for many travelers.

But because the White Oak Inn is far off the beaten path -- with nights so quiet and skies so dark that city folk might think themselves on a different planet -- innkeepers Yvonne and Ian Martin make an extra effort to find inventive ways to keep their guests occupied.

"You've sat on our front porch," Mr. Martin said. "You've seen four cars in two days. Sometimes we have to create interesting things to do."

For me, sitting on that oh-so-peaceful front porch, shaded by beautiful oaks and sycamores, listening to cars not go by, was an ideal way to spend a couple of days. The original building, once a large family home, has seven guest rooms. A separate guest house has three more rooms. The inn also has two luxury log-cabin cottages available.

The Arts and Crafts-style main house was built of red and white oak timbers milled on site (which is where the inn gets its name). The inn has a large living room, perfect for sitting with other guests, especially while drinking coffee and awaiting breakfast.

The delicious breakfasts usually offer a choice of two entrees, such as a rich artichoke-and-tomato strata or pear-and-ginger pancakes.

During my visit, I met many other guests, including a friendly group of five adults traveling together from Canada, as well as a Florida couple who regaled us all with tales of hunting big game on six continents. (The Martins had met the Florida couple on a train platform in Italy and discovered that the husband had gone to high school in nearby Coshocton. Yes, it's a small world.)

My room, in the original house, was a huge suite filled with old oak furniture, a two-person whirlpool tub and a comfortable queen-size bed.

I especially liked the wood-burning fireplace, which was much more romantic and satisfying than a gas fireplace but which featured a gas-jet for easy lighting.

The inn property includes 14 acres of trees and meadows. After each morning's big, satisfying breakfast, made by the Martins, I walked the peaceful grounds or strolled to the large barn to visit the two friendly pet sheep. (Take crackers, or the sheep will be disappointed.)

The inn's big front porch is an ideal place to wile away the hours doing nothing, visit with other guests, or, for those who must, surf the Web via laptop and the inn's complimentary Wi-Fi service. (Although I had an Internet connection, I had no cell-phone signal at the inn, which was fine with me.)

The White Oak Inn sits along Ohio 715, which once was U.S. 36. But that highway was long ago relocated, along with all the accompanying traffic.

The nearest town that's bigger than a mere crossroads is Danville, 8 miles away, a place with several gas stations and stores. Mount Vernon, the Knox County seat, is about 15 miles west of the inn.

A traveler would be hard-pressed to find a more relaxing setting.

Still, some guests want more.

"We still get people who want to know where all the shops around here are, where the Wal-Mart is," Mrs. Martin said. "You definitely have to draw some people here. And we've been quite successful at that."

The Martins have created a series of special events at the inn, including murder-mystery dinners, holiday programs, cooking classes and wine-and-cheese evenings.

"I was sitting right here at dinner next to a woman and, bloop, she falls over dead in her salad," reported one five-time guest who was staying at the inn yet again.

"I was hoping it was part of the murder mystery."

Indeed, it was. The mysteries, enacted by a troupe of three professional players including a musician and magician, have proved very popular, Mr. Martin said.

The goofy, fun events include a full dinner and involve plots such as the annual meeting of the Midwest Southern Central Tri-County Bigfoot Guild or a gathering of "unemployed superheroes."

Also popular are the Christmas Carol evenings, which include a one-man performance of the classic Charles Dickens story and an English tea.

The inn is popular with parents of children attending nearby Kenyon College and is already booked through 2011 for the dates around the college's Family Weekends and graduation.

The Martins also take advantage of their location on the edge of Amish country,

They've mapped out several driving tours for guests, including an "Eat Your Way Through Amish Country" excursion. I followed the "Pottery, Art and Artisan Tour," which took me to some delightful shops in western Holmes County.

These places weren't "Disney Amish," as one wag somewhere on the route dubbed the area tourist traps. The stops recommended by the Martins featured some truly fine goods made by true artists.

Country Furniture on U.S. 62 was a showroom filled with locally made -- and reasonably priced -- indoor and outdoor furniture, including beautiful bedroom and dining-room sets, bookcases and even entertainment centers.

At Holmes County Pottery, I met potter Cary Hulin and perused his 500-square-foot, wood-burning kiln, possibly the biggest one in the state. Hulin's workshop is connected to his showroom, where visitors will find a variety of artistic dinnerware, jugs, teapots, planters, platters and other items. He fills the huge kiln just three times a year, and the openings of it after firings are popular events.

I learned more about pottery at Carol Ohl's Treaty Line Pottery, located in a workshop behind her home, set in a beautiful little woods. Ohl's Japanesque-style pottery has won national awards and brings in customers from far and wide. She also has an interesting hand-built outdoor kiln.

Sometimes, shops such as Ohl's are overlooked amid the big "Amish" attractions in the area.

At Bowden Bells, a studio and retail outlet that can be reached only via a gravel road past an Amish one-room schoolhouse, owners and artists Vince and Jan Bowden have a wide selection of whimsical wares.

They sell bells made from recycled fire extinguishers and oxygen tanks and funky, funny garden sculptures. They also carry pottery and other items created by artists whose works they like.

My tour was interesting, but I was happy to get back to the inn and just kick back. I also was happy I chose to have dinner at the White Oak. The Martins' expert cooking is a real treat.

At one dinner, guests had a choice of grilled salmon or pork chops. My sesame-encrusted salmon, which had a delightful teriyaki sauce, was terrific. Other guests reported the pork was just as good. (The Martins can accommodate vegetarian guests with notice.)

After dinner, I went to my room, lighted a fire, sat back in a beautifully upholstered wing-back chair, opened the window a crack and just enjoyed the stillness of the oncoming autumn.

Who could want anything more?

sstephens@dispatch.com

Today's story on the White Oak Inn is part of an occasional series profiling inns across the region.

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