Guest staying at Liberty's newest bed and breakfast establishment, The Stone-Yancey House at 421 N. Lightburne St., will get the old with the new.

The 1889 Queen Anne Victorian has been restored to its 19th century opulence but with 21st century amenities.

“We have high-speed Internet and TVs with DVD players,” said innkeeper Carolyn Hatcher.

The Hatchers, Carolyn and Steve, have three rooms to let. Prices range from $95 to $145 for the rooms. The Withers Room includes a king-sized bed, a sitting area, stained-glass window and onyx rainfall shower in a huge bathroom. The Stone Room features a queen-sized bed and claw-foot bathtub with a whirlpool. The least expensive accommodation is in the Yancey Room that is furnished with a queen-sized, antique oak bed and has a bathroom off the hallway.

“Men love this room,” she said of the Withers Room. “They like the colors; they like the space.”

All the rooms are named after families that previously owned the house, she said.

Hatcher took early retirement from her computer job with DST Systems to devote herself to running the bed and breakfast. Her husband still works for DST.

“This was something I wanted to do for the last 20 years,” Hatcher said. “I love to cook, and I love to clean house.”

Guests can expect a three-course breakfast of fresh fruit, homemade breads, made-from-scratch blueberry muffins, caramel French toast or her signature dishes, an omelet roll or hot toddy oatmeal, served with a dash of Irish whiskey. In addition to coffee, tea and juice, she also serves guests an evening snack, which could be a homemade dessert or brie and crackers.

“I have all kinds of recipes. If someone stays for three weeks, they won't get the same thing twice, unless they ask for it,” she said.

When they purchased the house nearly three years ago, the Hatchers hired John Carr, a master craftsman who has restored a number of historic homes in the Liberty area. With the help of Steve's mother, Ruth, they also stripped wallpaper, tore down walls, painted, plastered and cleaned. The house still features many of the original windows, including ruby red panes in the front door, floors and fixtures.

They expect their first guests to check in the first week in April.

Barbara O'Dell, who lived in the house for 25 years when she sold it to the Hatchers in 2004, said she was pleased that the house was going to be a bed and breakfast.

“I hope to get over to see it. It's such an incredible house,” O'Dell said.

O'Dell said, though, that she once feared that a tornado that hit the area in 2003 would destroy the house with so much history.

“We were in the basement and we could hear glass breaking,” she said. “I was hoping it wasn't that ruby glass. I don't know if it's replaceable.”

When they emerged, they discovered the tornado had broken a pantry door window and did some slight damage to the outside.

“I'm so glad that house is still standing,” O'Dell said.

So is Hatcher.

“We just fell in love with this house. We love the architecture and the floor plan,” Hatcher said. “We love Liberty, and it's so close to everything.”

Hatcher said they had joined the Liberty Area Chamber of Commerce, Historic Downtown Liberty Inc. and Bed & Breakfast Inns of Missouri. She also plans to market herself to William Jewell College and companies in the area that might need a nice place for visitors to stay. The only thing missing is old photographs.

“I'd love to have some old pictures of the house. If anyone knows where I can find some, I'd love to hear from them,” Hatcher said.

Liberty Editor Angie Anaya Borgedalen can be reached at 781-4941 or aborgedalen@npgco.com.

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