Our Story
The story of The Stone Manor on Lake Haven is really our story. It’s a story you can feel as you walk through this place. We didn’t just find common ground here, we discovered sacred ground. And we want to share it with you.
Our “Once upon a time” started in 2017. Greg had experienced a long and unhappy marriage. He was spent, exhausted…done. Maria was on a parallel path…she had put everything she had into a relationship that took, but didn’t give. After a marathon of pouring out, there was nothing else to give.
Sometimes, when our “happily ever after” fails, we lose hope for the next “Once upon a time.”
One day, Greg’s path crossed Maria’s path. Even though we were both weary from our journeys, we discovered a surprising but refreshing refuge in each other. As we gave to each other, our friendship blossomed into best friends…and well, you can guess what happened next. We fell…deeply…in love. Our paths became one. . . 7.7.17
We were going out on a limb and a dare…an audacious dare to hope again, for a love that gives as well as receives. We battled cynicism, doubts, and fears. And we discovered our hope was no fairy tale. It came true.
Because we believed in our story. And we believed in the One who created the first and most beautiful romance story of all…of a man and woman in a garden.
We began searching for our own garden…a personal retreat where we could clear the clutter of busyness away, and fully focus on each other. Greg found hope in the words of an old prophet, a promise from Isaiah: “My people will live in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” This refreshing verse itself brought us a quiet rest. And it opened our hearts to dream a new dream.
We began a quest to find a place where we could escape the madness of “the grind”, the “hustle”, and the ”corporate ladder.” We longed for a place to restore our soul and build on our love for each other.
We longed for a place to restore our soul and build on our love for each other.
We started to dream together…we imagined a cozy, well-built log cabin with a tin roof that welcomed the song of the rain. The cabin looked out over a lake that quietly reflected sky and sun. We could picture ribbons of trails that meandered through a sanctuary of tall trees.
After a year of searching, our quest brought us to Greenbrier County, West Virginia. As we set foot on the property, we finally saw with our eyes what our hearts had already seen long ago.
We had discovered a haven nestled in the mountains, with seven natural springs. We stepped off a trail into a lush, green meadow. Greg reached down, touched the marshy ground, and discovered…clay. Perfect clay to build a lake, just like we dreamed.
We built our two-acre dream lake, a quiet respite of reflection, in harmony with the natural layout of the land.
A funny thing happened.
Then a funny thing happened. As we were clearing the land and getting ready to build our cozy log cabin with a fine tin roof, we realized: others could benefit from this place as well. If we do not share with others, we live a lonely life. We knew we had to share this special place.
That was when our cozy log cabin blossomed into an elegant 10,000- square foot manor house, created with a heart to bring people and families together. This was the birth of The Stone Manor on Lake Haven. Where our “once upon a time” finally met our “happily ever after.”
Our place is now your place—a refuge to serve you in a way no other destination can. With picturesque views of our private 200-acre mountain retreat, and our hand-chosen, friendly staff, we are sure you will be glad our paths have crossed.
We can’t promise you your own “happily ever after.” No one can. But we can promise to give you everything possible for your own “Once upon a time.”
Come join us. Because it’s time to begin your own story.
