Victorian Orchard’s original house dates back to pre-1880. The Wiggins family purchased the estate in 1904. A major renovation was done in 1906 bringing the house to it’s current appearance.

Here is some history, the Wiggin’s were a wealthy prominent family that also owned Fox Hunters Paradise, an inn above Deer Lake that was visited by wealthy Pittsburghers in 1820's. That house is gone now.

Victorian Orchard was bought by Henry Wiggins [grandson of Deer Lake house mentioned above] along with his wife Hulda and six children. It was as a farm where they raised sheep for wool, grew mostly irish potatoes, apples and honey. Frank Gleason bought the house from the Wiggins in 1921 and made it a popular boarding house in the area.

Interestingly, Victorian Orchard is still in the family, Henry Wiggins while serving in the Civil War befriended my mother’s great uncle who married one of Henry's daughters.
Our parents, Frank and Sue Wilhelm, bought the house in 1959. After my parents passed in 2003, we decided to renovate the property for a vacation rental so that we could keep it in the family. We all have such fond memories of living there… Sled riding, berry picking, just exploring on all that property, learning to drive in the field, rollerskating on the porch[and in the huge kitchen], bike riding, making swings on all the old trees, but mostly playing baseball with the neighborhood kids in that big field. We still all get together there on holidays for dinner and fun [if the house isn't rented]. All of us live nearby and do the upkeep ourselves. It is a family home that exudes the warmth and joy of several families being raised there.