INNKEEPERS

Martha Hall loves to create and build, to entertain and give, to laugh and love, to encourage and to listen, to cook and prepare for guests. What better career than that of an Innkeeper, a "glorified mother" Even at college, Martha was "designing" the dorm room she shared with Verla. Educated at Central Christian College in McPherson, Ks. and Nursing at Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California, Martha loves to travel and experience lots of new tastes, looks, cultures and friends.

Gary started building homes in Piedmont, Ok in the late 70's. He and his father followed friends to Cloudcroft, N.M to build new homes in Pineywoods. Gary and Martha built their first home on the side of the mountain in Pineywoods, Cloudcroft, New Mexico. In the sour economic times of the early 80's Gary and Martha moved back to Oklahoma City where family was. There were a couple of years at the Gerry Homes, Gerry, New York where Gary was Maintenance Director and Martha opened a campus gift shop and tearoom. Back in Edmond in 1984, Gary worked on aircraft parts at Wiley Post Airport and built yet another home in Cloudcroft, N.M.

Since opening the Inn, Martha has served on many local, state, and national industry and community boards. She helped as Oklahoma and Arkansas set up their membership standards and inspection programs. Martha worked for 6 years inspecting inns for the Arkansas Bed and Breakfast Association. That was a motivating and inspiring pursuit for the Arcadian Inn. As Martha and Gary visited the other inns, always admiring and encouraging the Innkeepers they visited, Martha and Gary's dream for the Arcadian Inn grew. They could see what the Inn could do! And they did!

In the meantime, Gary has become a popular contractor for other Inns in their B&B social circle. He was honored by the Oklahoma City Historical Society for the addition and renovation he did on the Grandison. Other work of Gary's can be seen in Arthur's Suite at the Willow Way Bed and Breakfast, and Eugenia's Suite at Beland Manor.

Along with opening a Bed and Breakfast, Gary and Martha raised their 2 sons, Mark and Stephen in the Inn. Mark was almost 8 when they moved in and Stephen was 3. The Halls homeschooled their sons at the Inn. Today Mark and his wife, Danyell, live next door to the Inn and have 2 children, Allie 8 and Christian 4. Mark manages at the Inn while pursuing a degree in web development. Stephen and his wife, Jenn,live in the "little fixer-upper on the west side of the tracks in Edmond" where Martha and Gary began this dream. Stephen completed a 4 yr. degree at Pittstate and is certified in Harley Davidson. He works at Fort Thunder Harley Davidson in Moore, Ok.

Since the opening of the Inn in 1990, Hurshel and Edith Hall have retired from their careers at Deaconess Hospital and Integris Hospital respectively. They live in Edmond and come to the Inn by 5 every morning to prepare those wonderful breakfasts. Hurshel bakes the Arcadian Inn Maple Walnut Cookies and Edith is famous for her Vanilla-Butter Sauce.