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The History

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We strive for Seesaw’s Lodge to continue to be a place where individuals, couples and families gather to appreciate the beauty of Southern Vermont throughout the seasons and return year after to year to establish longstanding traditions.“

– Seesaw’s Team

The Prins family had been looking at various inns for a couple of years when the Seesaw’s opportunity presented itself right in their back yard. The Eastmans and DiDomenicos, two families with ties to Peru and a long history as patrons of Seesaw’s, had a desire to help reinvent Johnny Seesaw’s and bring it back to life. There was a common shared vision to preserve the original Seesaw’s and its history, give back to the community that has nurtured Seesaw’s since the 1920’s, and build a business that will thrive for years to come. The three families joined together to create Seesaw’s Lodge, undergoing a 3-year renovation and reopening in 2018.

Seesaw’s has played a central role in the Peru community for decades. Locals have come to congregate, eat, drink and be merry; visitors have come to experience skiing, golfing, hiking and all that the Vermont outdoors has to offer, while enjoying the comforts of a local, family run inn that welcomed them with a warm fireplace, good cheer and delicious food.

Seesaw’s has had an eclectic group of patrons — whether it was Charles Lindbergh visiting in the 1940’s or Commander Whitehead, of “Schweppervescence” fame in the 1950’s, President Ford in the 1960’s or Julia Child in the 1970’s. But the cornerstone of Seesaw’s rich history lies most of all with the loyal families that love the Vermont outdoors and returned consistently to experience the special magic of Seesaw’s. There have been thousands of birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, rehearsal dinners, family reunions, engagements, and first kisses celebrated at Seesaw’s.

The Seesaw’s faithful cherish their memories with an uncommon fondness, and we look forward to keeping the Seesaw’s traditions alive, reconnecting with the generations who call Seesaw’s home and with new families that will continue the Seesaw’s tradition. We have started to compile a list of “Seesaw’s Stories” and invite you to contribute your treasured memories and photos here.

It took us thousands of hours over three years to comb through the Seesaw’s site in order to locate, salvage and preserve the important pieces of Seesaw’s history. Everything that could be repurposed from the original Seesaw’s buildings has become a part of Seesaw’s future, with our goal to preserve Seesaw’s rich history and keep the Seesaw’s spirit alive, while updating facilities and adding some modern elements.

The reinvented Seesaw’s Lodge includes three Cabins, a Lodge, the “new” Johnny Seesaw’s Restaurant, the Event “Barn” building, and a Warming Hut built out of an old sugaring house moved from a nearby farm to near our pond.

A multitude of brass plaques were found in the original Johnny Seesaw’s restaurant that had a broad variety of longtime traditions from family reunions, anniversaries and birthdays to a variety of special celebrations. The Seesaw’s team would like to reconnect with these loyal Seesaw’s patrons, and we hope you continue these traditions for years to come. We invite you to come see how the property has evolved and would love to hear from you!

Seesaw's Timeline

It All Started With A Spark.

1761

Originally called Brumley, the town is chartered by the Royal Governor of New Hampshire Benning Wentworth.

1804

The town is renamed “Peru” after the gold-rich South American country. The first sawmill is built in the area. Logging becomes the dominant industry for more than a century.

1805

Benjamin Barnard Jr. buys the land where Seesaw’s stands today for $400, building a small log house and a barn that reportedly became a tavern.

1924

After passing through a series of hands, the land is sold to Russian immigrant Ivan Sesow and his wife Vinnie. They built the Wonder View Log Pavilion, a roadside dancehall.

1931

As the Great Depression deepens, Sesow and his wife take out multiple loans to keep the Wonder View afloat. Contrary to local legend, Sesow doesn’t lose the property in a poker game, but defaults on a loan.

1932

The federal government establishes the Green Mountain National Forest, laying the groundwork for the local ski industry to thrive.

1933

The Civilian Conservation Corps constructs the first downhill trail on Bromley Mountain.

1938

At the encouragement of his mother, avid skier Lew deSchweinitz along with his broher-in-law Bill Parrish buy the neglected property and turns it into a ski lodge. They open on December 26th and are fully booked within days.

1942

The Parrishes establish the High Mountain Farm on the inn property, enabling Johnny Seesaw’s to stay open and attract tourists to the areas on lean times.

1974

The deSchweinitzes retire from the business, while the Parrishes help transition the property to its new owners who fail to attract new guests, and the operation struggles.

1980

Gary Okun and his wife Nancy buy the property and become great stewards of Seesaw’s in the modern era, operating seven days per week, always bustling with locals and out-of-towners.

2015

The new owners see an opportunity to reimagine Seesaw’s and embark, with partners, on a three year plan to rebuild the property ensuring the Seesaw’s legacy will continue for generations to come.

2018-Welcome To Seesaw's Lodge

2018
The newly restored and thoughtfully reimagined Seesaw’s Lodge and Johnny Seesaw’s open their doors, welcoming back old friends and inviting new ones to celebrate all that Vermont has to offer.