Lisa & Dave Everett

Lisa and Dave Everett are the owners of the Laurel Manor House Bed & Breakfast, located at 1110 Montgomery Street, the site of Prince George’s County first B&B. The couple purchased the  historic property in 2011, and moved into the house the following year. Even though they had lived just four miles from Laurel in Howard County, they were not aware of Laurel’s history until the house beckoned. The historic inn was built in 1888 by businessman Edward Phelps, who would become mayor of Laurel in 1897 and serve for seven terms. The Phelps family moved out of the house in 1915. It was in tracking down the history of the property and Phelps family that Lisa first connected with the Laurel Historical Society and her Oldtown neighbors.
 
Lisa knew that she wanted to run a B&B and the Phelps mansion held many possibilities. Although the property was livable, it  required much work to convert the house not only to modern  standards, but also to accommodate guests. Fortunately, Dave is an engineer by trade and handyman and landscaper around the    property. The pair make a great team, complementing each other’s talents and abilities.

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The team spent almost seven years renovating the historic structure, completing major projects like adding bathrooms and upgrading utilities. However, they were careful to retain many original features and  preserve the details of the house that they had fallen in love with, such as the door hinges and window latches. Their preservation ethic was recognized in 2019, when they were awarded the “Best of Maryland Community Choice Award” by Preservation Maryland. Their labor of love had been  nominated by the City of Laurel, who had long been champions of the Everetts and their rehabilitation project.
 
Lisa enjoys being an innkeeper and the opportunity to connect to different visitors, engaging  newcomers in the history and city of Laurel while serving delicious made-from-scratch baked goods and breakfasts. Since the B&B is a walkable distance to Oldtown Laurel, guests enjoy taking a stroll to get dinner or enjoy the other historic buildings in the area. Lisa recognizes the changes along Main Street in the years that they have lived here, pointing out the positive growth and improvements, and the arrival of diverse new businesses and restaurants.
 
After a period of closure due to the pandemic, the Laurel Manor House B&B is set to open again, as the Everetts continue to lovingly work on their house and welcome new visitors to Laurel.
 
LHS interview, 2021. Photo credit: Lisa Everett
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