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Holen Horse ’n Home Stay aims to preserve a bit of Nebraska’s past
by Gene O. Morris

Like rural homes throughout Middle America, the Brenstrom Farm in Phelps County, Nebraska was fading into obscurity. Untended and unoccupied, the one-time country showplace was in need of paint, roof repairs and — most of all — a reason for being.

And so it was, in the Summer of 2008, that Peg Holen arrived on the scene. The Kansas City marketing specialist had just gained title to the farmstead and surrounding 160 acres through inheritance from her parents. She came up to clear out the house, which was still chocked full of miscellaneous items and treasures, including a player piano and five boxes of rolls.

As she worked, a dream was born. "This house...this way of life...is too precious to let slip away," Peg thought. "I'm going to do all I can to save it and share it."

A dream comes true…slowly

For many, dreams, like old houses, often fade away; but, Peg Holen is different. With a determination reminiscent of the area's Swedish settlers, Peg is going forward with plans to turn the century-old farmstead into a rural bed and breakfast. To be known as "Holen Horse 'n Home Stay," the rural retreat is on track for opening in the fall of 2012.

As the work began in the summer of 2010, so did Peg's blog chronicling the process. With her words and pictures, she is showing that "You can go home, again." She posts updates every week at neloh.wordpress.com which also connects to a Facebook page: Holen Horse ‘n Homestay.

The traditional, story-and-a-half farm home glistens with bright white paint, giving new life to the three rebuilt porches and the gingerbread decor which graces the home's exterior.

It's a great start, but much more needs to be done. The next step will be the restoration of the inside of the house; followed by work to save the Gambrel-roofed white barn, which will be used for short term horse boarding, and the chicken house, which will become a dog run.

A plan to build the business

All the changes fit into Peg's plans for Holen's Horse ‘n Home Stay. "My goal is to cater to hunters, history buffs, birdwatchers and traveling horse enthusiasts," Peg said. A graduate of the EDGE class for entrepreneurs, she has a clear rationale for each audience.

For history buffs, the Oregon Trail runs along the north border of her property; the Plum Creek Massacre took place a half-mile to the west; and the Pony Express Trail passes nearby. For birdwatchers, the annual Sandhill Crane migration is just one feature of a migration that brings hundreds of species of birds to the area. For hunters, there are pheasant, quail, deer, geese and ducks — as well as hunting guides — in the area. And for horsemen and horsewomen there is the well-suited barn, which was built in 1916 to accommodate eight teams of horses, plus a single stall for a buggy horse.

Located just three miles south of the Overton exit on Interstate 80, the Holen Horse ‘n Home Stay will be a handy overnight stop for traveling equestrians. There will be plenty of space to park trailers and visitors will enjoy the convenience of having "their horse in the barn, their suitcase in the bedroom and their face at the table...all accomplished in less than hour."

Restoration with preservation

To help turn the restoration dream into reality, Peg has had help from her brother, Dr. Steve Holen, and the Schamber Historical Preservation team from Kansas. The Schamber brothers are specialists in historic preservation and Steve is an archeologist associated with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. He encouraged his sister to seek historical recognition for the property and soon thereafter she contacted the Schambers, who helped launch the project with the painting and porch work.

Encouragement and support have also come from Heritage Nebraska, a statewide organization dedicated to historic preservation, and the Nebraska State Historical Preservation Office, which is assisting Peg in her efforts to have the home listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Peg grew up less than a quarter of a mile away, in a house that's no longer standing. But she has always been fascinated by the Brenstrom Farm, which she feels is a symbol of a treasured way of life.

Many people have had similar feelings, but Peg Holen is doing something about it. She's leading the effort to preserve a place on the American prairie ... and, in years to come, she will share it with guests at the Holen Horse ‘n Home Stay.

Gene O. Morris is the retired publisher of the McCook Daily Gazette. He now serves the Western Nebraska Field Representative for Heritage Nebraska and as the executive director of the Historic Fox Theatre in McCook

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