Spring Mount

     Many people first learned how to ski at near by Spring Mount, myself included.  It is admittedly a beginner slope, barely more than a protrusion in the surrounding Montgomery County landscape, sometimes referred to as "Spring Bump."  But it is a lot closer than the slopes over an hour away in the Pocono Mountains to the north.  It's a favorite winter destination for thousands who call the Delaware Valley home.

     But a hundred years ago it was a favored summer retreat for the landed gentry of Philadelphia.  Numerous establishments were in operation at the terminus of a rail line that ran parallel to the Perkiomen Creek.  The railroad ran from Schwenksville through Collegeville, Rahns, and Graterford and ended at Skippack Station.

     Morris Carl was the Schwenksville station master in 1903 when passenger service was at its height.  In 1925 he built Woodside Manor on the south side of Spring Mountain to accommodate "die summer frischlers," the Pennsylvania Dutch term for "those summer people who came to refresh themselves."  Woodside Manor was just one of the many summer boarding houses in the Spring Mount area.  Others included The Perkiomen Inn, Spring Mountain House, The Cedars, and The Weldon House.

     But as it always does, times change and with increased mobility vacationers no longer relied on the train to escape the city heat.  They began to travel beyond Spring Mount and the homey summer country resorts fell on hard times.  At one point Woodside Manor became a nursing home and then later a restaurant, the Woodside Inn.

     Once again the once summer retreat has undergone a transformation and is now The Woodside Lodge, a bar, restaurant and Bed and Breakfast.  Gayle Buckman purchased the property and invested a lot of time and finances to upgrade the facility into a sought after destination for all seasons.

     The menu is basic and the execution and presentation of the food is admittedly rudimentary.  The service can be slipshod as we had to ask for bread plates for our rolls.  And one guest somehow did not receive a knife at his place setting.  But on a Wednesday evening it was almost impossible to find a parking place in their lot, so something is resonating with the local crowd.  Maybe it's the half price burgers that were on special that night.  There are several small rooms that serve as intimate dining areas, as well as an inside and an outside porch that can accommodate larger groups.  There is also a large room for private banquets.  And with 8 bedrooms, each with a sitting room, fireplace and private bath,  you can stay overnight and enjoy a full breakfast the next morning. 

     Once again Spring Mount is becoming more than just a place to learn to ski.