THE HISTORY OF THE FARM

The history behind the intriguing stone structures nestled on 120 acres of Cedar dappled land, is nothing short of a unique story.

In 1869, Nick Marel was born in Clearfield, Pennsylvania, his father was an Italian immigrant and a stone cutter. Growing up, Nick worked with his father rooting himself in the masonry trade while also working in the coal mines of Pennsylvania. After the death of his wife, Marel decided to make California his ultimate destination.

En route to The Golden State, he went broke and ended up settling in Tonganoxie, Kansas in the late 1930's.

Nick showed up at the farm in what the locals called “the first RV of Tonganoxie", fashioned from an old vehicle thought to be a hearse. He cut the back end off and built a functioning house atop of the so-called hearse that included a wood-burning cook stove, which he lived in for the duration of construction. From then on, he mined the stone from the hillside of “The Ridge" at the farm. Nick built a machine shed, a house, a livestock barn and a dairy barn. He tailored each stone by hand with a chisel, one by one, so that they would all fit together perfectly. Nick eventually completed the collection of charming stone buildings in the late 1940's.

In the spring of 2016, Todd Kane purchased the property, was instantly struck with a specific development vision and commitment to keep the historical buildings functional.

“When I first pulled onto the property, it reminded me of the dairy farming region where I grew up in, Northern Wisconsin. I did the one thing you aren’t supposed to do…

I fell in love with the place."

With the aggressive goal of enlivening the farm, Todd fully renovated the old farmhouse, dairy barn and livestock barn all the while keeping the historic exterior intact.

At Kane Family Farm, we hope all of our guests enjoy the environment we created here. We want our home to be your home-away-from-home for the duration of your stay.

What are you waiting for?

Arrive. Relax. Rejuvenate.