Our Family & The Heart of the Home
1963 – Today
In 1963, the Pendleton family purchased the property as a farm and family home, unaware of its former life as a bustling resort. At the time, the land consisted of 50 acres, a private dirt road, and fertile ground ideal for farming. What began as a quiet agricultural property soon became the foundation of a deeply rooted family legacy.
The Pendletons raised six children on the farm, embracing a life of hobby farming that included sheep, horses, Black Angus cows, chickens, ducks, pigs, geese, and even Irish Wolfhounds and Black Great Danes raised for show. The farm—known as Bonnie Castle Farms—was a place of constant activity, learning, and connection to the land.
As the children grew and began leaving for college, Georgia and her husband saw an opportunity to preserve the property while sharing it with others. In 1991, following their retirement, they opened the home as a bed and breakfast, beginning with three guest rooms. By 1996, the B&B had expanded to five fully functioning guest rooms, filling a much-needed gap in lodging for the area—welcoming fishermen, summer vacationers, and long-term guests alike.
Georgia handled the daily breakfasts, housekeeping, and guest experience, while her husband focused on landscaping, maintenance, and behind-the-scenes operations. Since 2005, Georgia has continued to lovingly run the bed and breakfast, carrying the tradition of hospitality into the present day.
Over the years, Bonnie Castle Farms has hosted family gatherings, baby showers, small weddings, and bachelorette parties, and offers private docking for boats and small watercraft. While the demands of the B&B once required stepping back from farm animals, the land returned to agricultural use in 2009, and an apple orchard was planted in 2011, reconnecting the property to its farming roots.
Hospitality has always been at the heart of Bonnie Castle Farms. Many guests have returned for over 25 years, bringing their children and grandchildren—becoming not just visitors, but an extension of our family. With deep farming roots and a strong belief in farm-to-table living, the property continues to reflect the values it was built on: family, tradition, and a genuine sense of home.
We’re honored to welcome you—not just as a guest, but as part of our story.
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About Us
The History of Bonnie Castle Farms
Bonnie Castle Farms is rooted in a rich history that stretches back to the late 1800s, when the property was first built in 1887 as the Bonni Castle Resort—a lively lakeside destination that welcomed travelers from near and far. At the height of its popularity, guests would take the Interurban railway from Rochester to Sodus Point, then continue their journey by steamboat across the bay to arrive at the resort.
The original Bonni Castle Resort featured a hotel, dance hall, and four summer cottages, including what is now known as the Aldrich Cottage. The grounds buzzed with life—weekends filled with dancing, formal dinners, croquet on the lawn, live performers, and peaceful lakeside relaxation. Supporting buildings such as a carriage house and staff housing, including what locals still refer to as Locust Grove, helped make the resort a self-sustaining retreat. Visitors came not only from the Rochester area, but from across the country and around the world.
Over time, the resort faded from public use, but its legacy remained quietly woven into the land—waiting to be rediscovered.
