21 Aug Location, Passion and Hospitality–the Story of the Story Inn of Nashville, Indiana
By Steve Williams of Indiana On Tap
Hidden deep down on the southeast side of Nashville, IN, lies the tiny town of Story. A town, which was once a thriving 180 acres, is now a modest 18 acres and has a total of 4 residents. Story has a single establishment – The Story Inn: One Inconvenient Location Since 1851. With a motto like that, you might expect a place with little to see or do. Although I can attest to the inconvenient and rural location (you lose cell phone coverage about 10 miles out of the town), The Story Inn makes Story, IN a far cry from a flyover town.
The town of Story was founded by Dr. George Story in 1851 and the original land patent granted by President Millard Fillmore is on display today at the Inn. Doc Story built many of the 18 structures that serve as guest rooms today at the Story Inn – in fact, his personal quarters (Doc Story House) is also now one of the beautiful guest rooms on the grounds. By 1929, Story had become the largest settlement in the area and had two general stores, a church, a schoolhouse, a grain mill, a sawmill, a slaughterhouse, a blacksmith’s forge and a post office (which is no longer present – hence the area being incorporated into Nashville, IN).
Sadly, the Great Depression devastated the town, and Story never recovered. As people exited the area, the State of Indiana began to purchase the land which led to the eventual creation of Brown County State Park, Hoosier National Forest, Yellowwood State Forest and the Lake Monroe impoundment lands – all of which surround the Story Inn today. So although it may be an inconvenient location, you experience beautiful scenery on your drive into town.
Eventually, in 1998, Rick Hofstetter, a longtime advocate for historic landmark preservation, swooped in to begin bringing the Story Inn back to life as we know it today. Along the way, Rick hired an aspiring chef, Jacob Ebel. Jacob, a local to the area, eventually left Story and travelled all over the country to perfect his craft– which eventually led him to meet Kate (his wife). Jacob and Kate, both formally trained in the culinary arts, continued to travel the country and further master their culinary skills. After Jacob worked several years as an Executive Chef, the couple decided it was time to return back to the small town of Story, Indiana, and they joined Eric in 2015 as Co-Owners of the Story Inn.
Today, Jacob acts as the general manager and Kate is the Director of Sales and Events. They are continuously working to restore the properties to their original condition. With the help of their amazing chef, Eric Swanson – (formerly of Restaurant Tallent), they together play host to events and weddings throughout the entire year.
I know what you’re thinking, “this is a great story, but what about the craft beer?” Well, Jacob and Kate “share a passion for over the top hospitality, sustainable food & drink, and nurturing the growth of that culture at Story.”
The result of that passion is clear when you enjoy a meal at the Inn or sit in the bar, both of which you must do if you visit. When I walked into the bar, I was greeted by their tap list of 5 Indiana Beers (which rotate); it had 2 features from Taxman, a seasonal Sun King, Three Floyds (Zombie Dust), and a QuaffON! I made sure to put many of these beers through a quality test.
Once a month they uniquely tie their culinary expertise to a local brewery and host an intimate beer pairing dinner. Keep your eyes posted on their Facebook page for details about the next pairing, which will happen on September 16, 2016.
As if that wasn’t enough to tie them perfectly into the Indiana Craft Beer scene, they also host an amazing beer festival every September: Hoosier Hops & Harvest. This year, on September 10, 2016, they will host the 7th annual festival behind the main Story Inn building.
Picture yourself at this festival. As you enter and pass through the beautiful garden (which is used to produce most of the items on their menu), you’ll soon come upon the fully restored, 120 year old barn.
On most days the barn is used for private events and weddings, but on this day it will play lounge to all the hard-working brewers that brought their delicious beer to share with the attendees. Walk past the barn and you will be greeted by a horseshoe driveway, lined with breweries, all waiting to serve thirsty patrons. You will also notice the backside of the barn, which features a stage, typically used for weddings, but used to provide live entertainment at Hoosier Hops & Harvest.
After I spent an evening at the Story Inn, I left very excited for my return on September 10 for Hoosier Hops & Harvest. (Indiana On Tap will be attending the festival in full force along with the Ale Force One craft beer bus).
If you want to check out the festival, get your tickets today before it sells out, which is a frequent occurrence. And if you are interested in booking a private event, wedding, or even a stay at the Story Inn – email Kate at kate@storyinn.com. But act fast! The place is in such high demand that it has been known to be booked YEARS in advance for major events!
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