“It would have been cheaper, by far, to tear this building down and stick up a metal structure. However, there's no character in that. And the people from Deary who've been here, they highly appreciated the saving of this building. We have a group of older men who meet for coffee there every morning and they can remember, when they were kids riding their bikes through the shop, and there used to be another group of old men who met there for coffee.”
We’re in great company with Webb French, the mastermind behind the renovations and restorations of numerous historical landmarks in the charming town of Deary, Idaho - where he and his family are leaving their mark with their many differing talents, coming together as a community to share in each others’ craft.
From a hand-hewn, timber-framed barn turned event venue - to a century-old Ford garage turned scratch bakery and pizza kitchen - to a set of crumbling train cars and train depot turned boutique accommodations.
In this episode, Webb shares several serendipitous stories of how he came across these deteriorating pieces, and the courage and creativity he and his community had to give them new life - welcoming all to enjoy the timeless, memorable and experiential hospitality of their historic small town.
Top Takeaways
[1:40] Some may say, “many hands make light work,” but very few know that to be true like the French family. Listen as Webb shares how he, his wife and their 10 children still work together to this day on various business ventures utilizing their many different talents to serve their community.
[7:40] A history lesson on the town of Deary, Idaho - once a center for the timber, railroad and auto industries was left with abandoned buildings and quiet streets - that is until the townspeople came together deciding “a rising tide lifts all boats.”
[20:00] Over the years the French’s restored Morning Glory Farm to its former glory - surrounded by 360 views across their 200 acres sits the original farmhouse, hand-hewn, timber-framed barn and grain silo where guests can stay, dine and celebrate life’s special moments.
[29:20] It takes a village to turn a century-old, crumbling Ford garage filled with rusting old cars and reimagine it as a world-class bakery and creamery, producing baked goods from scratch onsite, fan-favorite wood-fired pizzas and award-winning cheeses.
[36:15] How Webb French stumbled upon a 120-year-old train car while clearing snow from his neighbor’s roof, the hurdles he went through to convince his family and friends to move and restore it to where it stands today as a timeless experiential stay.
Notable Mentions
SIGC S2. E14. Live Oak Lake with Isaac French
Restoration Road with Clint Harp
Visit For Yourself
Idaho TrainStays | @trainstays
The Pie Safe Bakery & Kitchen | @piesafebakery
