A place for weddings or vacation getaways, a new bed and breakfast in Millsboro is showcasing the natural beauty of the area on a historic estate.
The Estate Plantation Ridge is located on Betts Pond, off the northwest side of Dupont Boulevard (Route 113) at 25113 Enge Lane.
The estate was vacant for years before it was purchased by Alyson Hudson about six years ago. It was home to the late Hiram Lasher, whose obituary called him “a pioneer in avian vaccine development,” and his wife, Bertha.
Stepping into the 1960s home feels like stepping into an episode of “Mad Men.” It’s a mid-century modern split-level, with white marble walls and lots of built-in wooden furniture. It’s one of several buildings on the property.
Lasher’s wife loved to swim, according to Alyson Hudson, so he built her an indoor pool next to the house. Alyson and husband Brad Hudson filled in that pool to create an event venue, which seats about 150.
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There’s an area for ceremonies with hardscaping and benches, and there are both an efficiency and a yurt available on the property to rent, as well. All have a view of and access to Betts Pond, which is stocked with fish and home to much wildlife. The Hudsons keep kayaks on the property for renters to use.
Those who book with the bed-and-breakfast get a personalized experience, with homemade breakfast and the Hudsons as concierges.
From overgrown to picturesque
It took some time to turn The Estate at Plantation Ridge into what it is today. When Alyson Hudson bought the property in 2016, it was in total disrepair, overgrown with weeds and infested with snakes, she said.
The house had numerous leaks, the outer walls were green and brown, and there was “a layer of dirt on everything,” Hudson said.
Still, the house “had good bones,” according to Hudson, and when she moved back to the town she grew up in after a divorce, she planned to work on renovating it with her father. He worked in construction, she said, and passed on some of his skills to her.
Sadly, her father died not long after the purchase, but Hudson kept chipping away. She ripped out carpet and replaced windows, power washed the walls and started landscaping. When the pandemic came, she started renting out the five bedrooms to health care workers, which quickly proved to be lucrative.
Alyson and Brad Hudson met in December 2020. Both Millsboro natives and divorced with children, they quickly started planning their lives together. They were married at Plantation Ridge in October 2022.
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The Hudsons purchased a home across the pond for their family to live in and started focusing on making Plantation Ridge a viable event venue, booking weddings and rentals on their website and AirBNB. They’ve hosted three or four weddings this year, Alyson Hudson said.
As they continue to improve the property, she hopes to host community events such as live music and crafts. There’s a wreath-making event Nov. 16 and a casino night coming up, Alyson Hudson said.
Find out more at plantationridgevenue.com.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught.
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