History

History information is some background and history about the location. This is meant to be a basic summary. Below the history records you will find sources in which you can click on to find out more information. There may be multiple history records per location.

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The Georgian Inn of Somerset is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Zimmerman Mansion.

Built as a private residence in 1915 by a prosperous coal and cattle baron, the mansion was designed for entertaining. Daniel Burnside Zimmerman made his fortune in cattle in the West and coal in the East. His business career began at the age of 14, when drawn by a magazine article, the farm boy left home for North Dakota to make his first cattle purchase in 1877. Cattle bearing the “Z” brand soon grazed over hundreds of thousands of acres stretching from the Dakotas to California and into Mexico. The Zimmerman ranches regularly shipped 40,000 cattle to market each year. At age 50, D.B. Zimmerman was called the largest independent cattle dealer in the United States.

In Somerset County, Zimmerman was best known for his development of coal resources. He was at the forefront of the county’s mining industry when, in 1898, he developed mines at the Goodtown, and later in company towns of Wilson Creek, Ralphton (named for his son), and Zimmerman (named for the family). In 1907, Zimmerman’s Somerset County Coal interests totaled more than 140,000 acres, and by age 45, D.B. Zimmerman was the county’s largest independent coal operator.

He was also a car insurance pioneer. His interest in insuring cars and other automobiles developed after a friend of his, a Mr Meyer, was involved in a motor accident which caused thousands of dollars worth of damage to his imported Isotta Fraschini car. The other driver, who was at fault, was uninsured and so Mr Meyer had to pay for the repairs himself - and they were not cheap. Zimmerman helped Meyer to set up one of the first short term car insurance companies in the world.

D.B. lived in the house with his wife, Lizzie, son Ralph, who joined him in the business, and his daughter, Sally. Although Sally was unable to work with him at the time, she acted as the official hostess for the many parties at the mansion he held over the years and traveled the country with him to visit his many holdings. Mrs. Zimmerman, who enjoyed a much simpler life, preferred to stay at home, often creating special meals in the kitchen. Though enjoying an array of assistance from the house cooking and cleaning staff, she was the “Lady of the House”.

Zimmerman died in 1928 at the age of 65, the richest man in the county. His daughter Sally, who never married, lived in the home until 1944 when she sold it to a local coal operator.

The Zimmerman mansion, designed by Horace Trumbauer, occupies a notable place in the architectural annals of Somerset County. Many local newsmen of the day described the mansion as “Somerset’s Most Pretentious Home”. Local engineer, Harvey Hostetler, supervised construction of the mansion while E. H. Walker, a Somerset architect, claimed some of the responsibility for the building design.

The building measures 136 feet in length and consists of a central structure with asymmetrical North and South wings. The first floor of the mansion included a living room, dining room, drawing room, conservatory, kitchen, and a marble floored entrance hall. An open grand staircase, supported by large fluted columns, provides access to the second floor consisting of three enormous bedrooms, a library, a den, and down the hall two servants’ rooms. The third floor has four bedrooms and a large cedar closet with over thirty drawers and doors. The house, paneled throughout with native woods, was decorated with polished brass and silver wall fixtures, crystal and gold leafed chandeliers, elegant moldings and 9 fireplaces. From the moment you step into the exceptional marble entrance hall, you are swept away to the past. It is the perfect place to experience the elegant standard of living known to people of wealth at the turn of the century.

The mansion has been purchased and restored to its original grandeur by owners Charles and Stephanie Charrie and opened in 2010 as The Georgian Inn of Somerset. Fine, tapas, and casual dining is offered seven days a week. A tour of the property discloses the luxury accommodations in a number of rooms and suites. All rooms offer private bath, cable television and a gourmet breakfast as part of each overnight stay. In addition, facilities are available for business meetings, weddings, bridal or baby showers, birthday parties, wedding anniversaries or any private party.

The Georgian Inn of Somerset is open for breakfast, lunch & dinner, call for times and reservations. We also offer afternoon tea, luncheon tours, fine and casual dining, and tapas with wine pairing tastings. Outdoor seating on the terrace weather providing.

Added by: sdonley on 01/03/2025 DB#:609
Source(s):
https://thegeorgianinnofsomerset.com/history.html

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Added by: sdonley on 01/03/2025 DB#:610
Source(s):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXcIE31W0DQ

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