A Grand Tea In Xenia...

...Xenia, Ohio at Edith Mae's to be exact!

Edith Mae's Tea Room & Gift Shop is inside the beautiful Eden Hall mansion.

 John Hivling, was a prominent early settler in Greene county who had eleven daughters and two sons. Eight of the daughters married and as a wedding present Mr. Hivling gave each one a cameo pin, a gold watch and chain, and a new house. It is said when his son Abraham was married his father refused to give him a house. John Hivling is said to have told Abraham, that he would have to build his own house. “All right” said Abraham, “than I will build a bigger house than any of the girls have”.

With the design expertise of Mr. Hiram Brown the mansion was constructed. Abraham Hiviling was a prominent business man in Xenia, and no expense was spared. The brick for Eden Hall were made on the premises. The mansion's massive 9,400 square feet of living space is surrounded by three feet thick brick. A formidable structure indeed; Iron fence surrounds the lawn and beautiful gardens. The original carriage house still remains on the property.


Abraham and his family lived here until 1881. The house was then sold to Abraham's niece and her husband; Mr. And Mrs. John Allen. Mr. and Mrs. Allen purchased the home for their daughter Mary Catherine Kinney who was Mrs. Coates Kinney.He wrote the “Ode to Ohio” in 1888 and delivered it at the Coliseum in Columbus for the Ohio Centennial. The Kinney's had three daughters. Their daughter Clara married a doctor, Lawrence Shields. Dr. and Mrs. Shields lived in Eden Hall until 1972. The house was then purchased by Paul and Evelyn Cozatt in 1973, and remained in their possession until 2003 when Rick and Tracy Gerhardt purchased the home. The Gerhardt's have been restoring the home and grounds ever since. Eden Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places.


The Mansion was Sally Cochran Rouch's home in “And The Ladies of the Club”, Helen Hooven Santmyer's novel. It is also rumored that Eden Hall was part of the underground railroad. The owner's are continually studying and updating the history of the mansion. It is said that this Mansion is home to "other" entities. In the book "Haunted Ohio II" the Mansion's ghostly beings are discussed. We looked & listened and looked but, *sigh*, we didn't see or hear a thing!

Entering the home...

Peeking up the stairs...

Greetings from the ever so sophisticated duo...Grace and her lovely BFF!

Miss BFF's beautiful Mother and Grandmother!

The girls with my mother...

 It was so special spending the afternoon with 2 sets of 3 generations!

There were so many delicious sweet and savory items from which to choose!

Shall I pour you another cuppa?

Oh were there hats!

Hats, hats and more hats!

As we waltz out of Edith Mae's we say farewell....

....and we hope you had a lovely time! We surely did!