McCauley Lecture: The Lovetts and Their Hill Top House Hotel in Harpers Ferry

The Hill Top House Hotel was for generations a beloved destination for couples and families celebrating special occasions, yet few former guests know its history—that it was founded by African-American power couple Tom and Lavinia Lovett. This talk will highlight the challenges and successes they experienced as operators of a segregated whites-only resort during the first 35 years of the Jim Crow era. The speaker is author Lynn Pechuekonis, whose book, Among The Mountains: The Lovetts And Their Hill Top House is now available. She is a West Virginia native, and Among the Mountains is her second published biography. Her first, Man of Sterling Worth, explores the life of Professor William A. Saunders, the longest serving black teacher at Storer College. Part of America's and Washington County's 250th birthday celebration activities.