So much happens at Smithville… We have Fun Festivals, Shoppes, Restaurants and lots of Stories.
I have heard so many wonderful stories of how Smithville has touched someone’s life. People who came as children, some who worked here and how some couple’s met here, got engaged here or were married here.
So… I decided to start a Blog that is ‘Everything Smithville’
I will introduce you to people who have visited, people who own shoppes and anyone who will tell me their story. Please feel free to stop in the Colonial Inn and tell me your story or you can post your experience at Smithville, here on my blog. We would love to hear it.
If you’re on Facebook, write on our wall and tell us about your experience at Historic Smithville!
I guess I will start with my story of how Smithville has touched my life as well as my family.
My name is Tracy Walsh, and I am the Inn Keeper at the Colonial Inn; which is located right in the heart of Smithville. It is a wonderful job and one I never saw coming. But that is often the way things happen! Fourteen years ago my parents, Ed and Wendie Fitzgerald, purchased the Village Greene. The Village Greene is half of the Historic Village. The Village Greene includes the bridge, the lake and the side of the Village with the boardwalk, train and carousel. When Ed and Wendie purchased the Village, it came with a train. They offered this business of running the train to my husband and I . We signed on the dotted line, added a paddle boat business and all of a sudden I was quitting my job and running a small amusement business! All aboard!! What a fun job… I became a celebrity of sorts over night. Children from 3 to 10 would look at me with sparkles in their eyes and when I yelled ‘All Aboard’ they could barely take a breath because they were so excited! I have been stopped in the grocery store…”Excuse me.. are you the train lady?” .. “Well, yes I am” .. “giggle giggle” and this was by grown men and children alike! 12 years came and went, rather quickly, and by this time my parents added a Bed and Breakfast to the Village; so that visitors could stay longer to enjoy the Village. Four years into the B & B business, the manager running the Colonial Inn left and my mother asked if I would like to run the Inn along with her. Now, don’t get me wrong I loved driving the train, but at 38 I was ready to get out of the cold, take off my 3 ply jacket and work boots and sink my teeth into a brand new experience!! Which leads me to where I am now! I still own the train and paddle boat and I have some wonderful people working for me but if you’re looking for Tracy now, you’ll have to stop in the Inn.
