Serene, Stylish B&B
By: Stephen McCollum
Slip away to the southwest corner of Blackford County to the Double R Ranch B&B and the mere idea of the “Do Not Disturb” doorknob sign endemic to retail hotels will make you smile.
At the Double R doors are not necessary to close out unwanted intrusions. They are instead a passage to exterior and interior peace.
Quiet. Open space. Beauty, natural and cultivated. Inspired interior rustic decor.
Whether you’re an individual sojourner or a small group on retreat, here is where getting away from it all can renew your capacity to get back to it all with a fresh perspective.
“It’s beautiful, quaint, rich with history, and serene,” writes an early visitor. Oh, and “The hosts are wonderful.”
Beth and Nick Rhodes, Blackford County natives, are back after several decades of work and residency in other Indiana communities. In the spirit of ‘quaint,’ it was a glimpse of this 37-acre plot from the back of a horse that was pivotal to their homecoming.
As retirement neared for both, they envisioned a B&B as an enjoyable and fruitful way to exploit Nick’s career in sales and Beth’s people skills as a counselor and her natural grace as a hostess.
Bringing a dream to reality, however, involves a mixture of vision, elbow grease, and patience. During the early years, the Rhodeses developed a blueprint for approximately how much land they wanted and what structures would be needed. Because horses were going to be part of it, a principal piece was a horse barn.
So naturally the horse barn Nick designed went up first. Then the recession hit. The couple found themselves dreaming in somewhat compromised quarters, sleeping in a bedroom in one end of the loft, with an office and small living room below. Beth had to navigate a make-shift kitchen for more than 10 years.
As the economy recovered, so did their plans, albeit altered to the point of no longer resembling the original blueprint. The ‘rich with history’ piece came about 10 years ago. While living in Noblesville, Beth had worked during summers at Conner Prairie, Indiana’s first Smithsonian affiliate.
She role-played a Quaker woman whose family was active in the passage of slaves through the Underground Railroad. Baker Cabin, originally constructed in southern Indiana in the 1840’s, was dismantled and put in storage sometime after Rhodes’ tenure. As they adjusted their plans, the idea of acquiring an authentic log cabin prompted a call to Conner Prairie.
Much to her surprise, she learned that the old Baker Cabin could be rescued and brought to the Double R. Although it was just the basic cabin with no roof and floor, “I bought it that afternoon,” says Rhodes. A fully renovated Baker Cabin is now the centerpiece of the B&B.
There are still three horses in residence but the barn has been substantially renovated. In addition to the Rhodes’ private quarters, there is a bunkhouse-style room with a pull-out trundle bed, and 1800- and 1900-era cowboy suites.
“Blackford County was very good to us in our youth,” says Nick. “When we found this place, we realized we could give something back to our home community.”
“We want to contribute to the effort to reclaim the pride, hopefulness, and confidence that we experienced here,” adds Beth.
The first guests registered in 2017. Traffic has been relatively light, but you know how it goes with the so-called best-kept secrets.
So, if you don’t have a lot of time to escape to a far corner of the globe, but you want to experience a slice of an American dream, book a night or two at the Double R. Take advantage before this secret hideaway takes its well-deserved place on the map.
