History
The Sommer House (formerly The McKeage House) was built prior to 1905 by Hamil and purchased by Dr. George Ernest McKeage in 1910.
Dr. McKeage had his dental office in the now extended Tea Room. Dr. McKeage's son George and wife Mary along with their family came to reside in the main house in 1948 when Dr. McKeage retired and built on the house to the west. Further additions were made in 1951 when sister Sarah came to live with them. The house stayed in the McKeage family until 1987.
The McKeage House has had a few owners until purchased in the summer of 2006 by Patti Sommer for her daughters Jaime and Jaclyn. After several months of renovations and upgrading, The Sommer House Tea Room opened for business in March of 2007 (Nanton's 100th birthday).
The delightful welcoming atmosphere offers good "old fashioned" home cooking. The "coming home" feeling that most people experience upon entering into the foyer is attributed to the resident "spirit", who loves to greet her guests as if they were family. Several people have seen her, but most just feel her presence. She has been described as a woman in her late twenties with long, light brown hair (sometimes worn up, as Patti does). She is wearing a beautiful blue, floor-length gown (turn of the century). The experience is commonly described as warm and loving. She loves that Patti is here, and what she has done to "her house". She can be quite mischievious at times, but always in a playful way.
