SPENCER FAMILY FARMHOUSE- full of history and memories, is located on a blacktop road in the middle of a working farm, right down from Indian Creek Marina on Mark Twain Lake. A ten minute drive gets to you Monroe City for groceries, shopping, restaurants, and supplies. A thirty minute scenic drive to the historic river city of Hannibal is a great family day trip. The friendly towns and villages of Paris, Perry, Stoutsville, or New London circle Mark Twain Lake and offer tourist attractions, farmer’s markets, antique shopping, and unusual eateries. The Farmhouse sets on a hill with great shade trees sheltering a play space in the yard for your children. With their own outside toys, a spontaneous game of frisbee or pitch and catch can happen in the front yard. Children should be supervised and dogs leashed while outside because of the vehicle traffic directly to the lake Marina and nearby camping spots. A gravel driveway leads to top of the hill where parking is sufficient for four to six vehicles and boats. A well-weathered historic barn welcomes guests to the back door of the simple farmhouse. The barn is locked to guests but can provide some interesting backdrop opportunities to the country scene photo enthusiast. In the back yard, one can anticipate the aroma of a good bbq on the grill (bring your own charcoal) or the sizzle of roasting hot dogs over a fire pit in the backyard (firewood not provided). The beautiful farm ground surrounding the classic home provides calming activities of bird-watching and hiking. In the right seasons, cattle will be grazing in the far fields and working farm machinery may be planting or harvesting corn or soybeans. Bales of hay might be speckled on the hillside, and apples might be ready for picking. The property is abundant with white-tailed deer, coyotes, owls, and many little critters in their natural outdoor environment. All of this can be available for your quiet evening after a delightful day of boating and fishing on the Mark Twain Lake. A wooden ramp leads into the back door. Inside, the mud room offers seating space for boots and coats, and hot dog roasting sticks and an ice cream freezer are waiting for some country fellowship. There is enough floor space for easy unloading of groceries and bags. With your own pet food and supplies your dog should rest comfortably in his own crate in this area while you are gone to the Lake or touring the area. Inside of the mudroom into the house requires the door unlock code that the property manager has given you before your arrival.
You can almost imagine the hearty welcome from Aunt Frances or a hug from your own Grandma as you enter the country style kitchen. Equipped with a full size refrigerator, stove/oven, toaster, coffee pot, flat grill, microwave, serving and place settings for eight, pots and pans, utensils, etc. Basic spices and other supplies found in the original wood cabinets can add to your fixin’ of a fine country meal or fresh catch fish fry. An aged cookbook could help find a recipe of your childhood memory. A easy-to-use modern dishwasher helps with the cleanup around the original farmhouse sink. Dish soap, paper towels, dish towels and wash cloths, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap is available for guests’ use. The open dining room houses two seating tables with total seating for six, giving open opportunity for a Grandma-style cookie and milk talk or a good card game of your choice. The door to the bare unfinished basement stays locked to guests during a normal stay but can be available with the manager’s assistance for refuge in the rare occasion of a rough Missouri storm. The dining room opens to a large gathering room. Even though a Smart TV is featured, a full library of family-appropriate DVD movies is available. A small group of reading books and magazines are close by as well as a few assorted children’s toys and board games. Sufficient lighting and cozy furniture with snuggly blankets bring back thoughts of days of half-a-century ago. Take notice of a few pieces of the Spencer Family memorabilia available. The hallway leads to the single bathroom. A wall shower is available in the normal sized bathtub. The toilet and small sink are supplied with toilet paper and sample sizes of various personal care items. A washer and dryer have detergent and dryer sheets available for guest use. In the hallway, an open closet houses bath towels, extra supplies, linens, and basic cleaning necessities. Take your pick of the three bedrooms each having a different firmness choice in mattresses. Complete bed linens, pillows, dresser, lamp, bedside table, clock, and sitting chairs grace each room. A baby pack-and-play can be found in the first bedroom closet. The Spencer Family Farmhouse is full of unique charm, history, and memories. With nostalgic additions of the 1950’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, Aunt Frances and Uncle Clarence would have been open ears to hear your fishing tales of your day at Mark Twain Lake. They would have been pleased to share their much-loved and well-lived Farmhouse with you. If only these old walls could tell the real stories….
