By Emma Bowen Meyer
For The Herald Bulletin
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ALEXANDRIA — Carolyn Cunningham faced a great deal of skepticism when she decided to turn her farmhouse — situated on a lonely country road — into a bed and breakfast.
Her own children thought she’d never find clients willing to veer from the beaten path to spend the night.
“My son said, ‘I can’t believe you think people will come all the way out here to sleep in your bed and breakfast’,” she said. “I told him the other day that I’m having my 15th anniversary in that place where he said no one would come.”
Celebrating her anniversary with an open house last Sunday, Cunningham had refreshments piled high on the kitchenette in the Florida Room. Excitedly showing visitors around, she pointed out the modifications she has made over the years and outlined what was still to come.
Fifteen years have brought a number of changes to the property and quite a few clients for unexpected reasons. While the location may seem odd at first glance, the lack of other accommodations in the area makes her establishment a prime stop for visitors to the James Dean festivals and new hires at the Red Gold plant.
“Twenty-five percent of my customers are new employees of Red Gold,” she said. “They are businessmen who stay for the week.”
Clients also come for the Indy 500, graduation ceremonies for three colleges (Ball State, Anderson University, and Taylor), and graduations for area high schools. One gentleman comes four times a year from Holland.
These visitors enjoy a homey stay that includes freshly cooked meals rather than an impersonal hotel stay and typical restaurant fare. Pictures of Cunningham’s 12 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren line the walls at every turn, making clients feel like extended family.
High-tech services are not sacrificed for the down-home feel. DirecTV is pumped into all the rooms (which also feature their own small refrigerators, microwaves, coffee pots and toasters) and a complementary WiFi connection keep clients in close touch with their Facebook friends.
Purchasing the farmhouse and 17 acres in 1963, Cunningham raised her four children inside these walls. At the time, the property included a barn, chicken coop, large garden and a pig pen. Her children raised Angus cattle on some of the acreage.
After retiring from a career in nursing and the death of her husband in 1991, she began seeking something to keep her busy. Rearranging and redecorating the home to accommodate a number of guests has filled her time in a delightful way.
“I’m just a people person,” she said. “I love to talk to people.”
As almost a one-woman show (with a little help from a house cleaner), Cunningham has no time to grow lonely or bored. She keeps the books, markets the inn, makes the brochures, decorates the home in a different theme each month, cooks the breakfasts and even mows three acres herself.
But the smile on her face says that she loves every minute of it.
Each week, Emma Bowen Meyer features a Madison County home. If you know of a home that should be showcased, send an e-mail to emmagoldiemeyer@yahoo.com.
