The Inn at Historic Lane House

08/09/2026

The Inn at Historic Lane House will be closed this week as I assist with the Mercersburg Lions Club Fair! Come see us!

07/14/2026

Now that we’ve finished all our plantings for the year, we thought Lane House could show some love to our amazing neighbors at the Fendrick Library! They do so much for our community and deserve all the flowers in the world!

We hope the newly planted tree-wells help inspire others in town to maintain their sidewalks and potential flowerbeds! If you know of an elderly or disabled person on Main Street who is unable to manage their front facing weeds on their own, send me a DM!

07/11/2026

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Girl Power Talk, an international organization that empowers young individuals to grow professionally through empathy, persistence, and confidence. If you’d like to learn about my experience balancing Pride & Preservation, visit the link below!

https://girlpowertalk.com/people-we-admire/sahand-miraminy-on-pride-preservation-and-building-community/

07/04/2026

On this 250th anniversary of American Independence, we remember Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery, he was a reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman who became the most influential leader of the African-American civil rights movement in the 19th century, as well as the most photographed American in the 1800s. Frederick Douglass held a deeply critical and adversarial view of James Buchanan, viewing him as a weak leader who acted as a "miserable tool of traitors" due to his influence on the Dred Scott decision and consistent appeasement of Southern slaveholders. James Buchanan’s administration actively cooperated in a legal effort to apprehend and extradite Frederick Douglass to Virginia in the aftermath of John Brown's 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry.

On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered a scathing keynote address arguing that for an enslaved person, Independence Day is a day of mourning that exposes America's hypocrisy regarding liberty, justice, and human cruelty. It reads in part:

“What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. . . . I will not enlarge further on your national inconsistencies. The existence of slavery in this country brands your republicanism a sham, your humanity a base pretense, and your Christianity a lie. It destroys your moral power abroad; it corrupts your politicians at home. It saps the foundation of religion; it makes your name a hissing, and a bye-word to a mocking earth. It is the antagonistic force in your government, the only thing that seriously disturbs and endangers your Union. It fetters your progress; it is the enemy of improvement, the deadly foe of education; it fosters pride; it breeds insolence; it promotes vice; it shelters crime; it is a curse to the earth that supports it; and yet, you cling to it, as if it were the sheet anchor of all your hopes. Oh! Be warned! Be warned! A horrible reptile is coiled up in your nation’s bosom; the venomous creature is nursing at the tender breast of your youthful republic; for the love of God, tear away, and fling from you the hideous monster, and let the weight of twenty millions crush and destroy it forever!”

On this day, may we celebrate how far our nation has come, but remember those who have fought for the virtues we have always claimed to uphold.

07/03/2026

Harriet Lane passed away 123 years ago today, leaving an inspiring legacy that is still felt by Americans. It was an honor to make the annual pilgrimage in the blistering heat to the gravesite of Harriet Lane, alongside her husband and two young sons, all who predeceased her. The bouquet included some of her favorite flowers as well as clippings from the Lane House garden.

A special thank you to the incredible and knowledgeable Superintendent of historic Greenmount Cemetery for providing after-hours private access, and Mayor Pedersen for the ride to Baltimore!

We love you, Harriet! ❤️

06/13/2026

A generous and talented neighbor surprised me with this beautiful hand painted sign for the front door at Lane House! While I appreciate everyone’s curiosity, please remember that this is a private home that is occasionally open to paying guests, and we value our privacy. Hopefully this new sign will do the trick! 🙂

06/13/2026

See you tomorrow. 🎥 🛑 🚗

Join us tomorrow! Representatives from Council, Water Authority, Sewer Authority & the Mayor’s Office will be present.

06/08/2026

I don’t normally voice my opinion on local politics, but recently, Mercersburg Borough Council quickly voted to approve the installation of three Flock Cameras in our little town. Flock cameras identify the license plate number, vehicle make, model, color, and unique features like bumper stickers, roof racks, or damage on all passing cars. The data is checked against law enforcement “hotlists”. If there is a match, an alert is instantly sent to local police.

My immediate reaction was similar to many others, “I follow the law, why should I care if there are cameras”. However, when given time to critically think about it, I don’t believe the pros outweigh the cons. Coming from Washington, DC, I was accustomed to police on every block and cameras following our every move. Part of the joy of living in a small tight-knit community is that we generally unsubscribe from nationwide mass-surveillance. Regardless of our political party, most of us believe that big government should stay out of our everyday lives. Ironically, those often pushing for these cameras are those that once advocated for “small government”.

Once the Flock systems are installed, everyday citizens cannot opt out of having their vehicle’s location and movements logged, stored, and shared across a network. Innocent drivers lose their anonymity and their information is provided to law enforcement without a warrant.

Investigations have shown that data from Flock has been shared with third parties and even used to track romantic lovers and individuals seeking out-of-state reproductive healthcare. There have also been reported cases of misidentification errors, disproportionately affecting people of color.

I genuinely believe the proponents of these cameras have good intentions- a desire to aid in the identification of criminals who may drive through our relatively safe area. However, I’m troubled that Borough Council spent far more time discussing and voting on permitting chicken coops in Mercersburg.

I urge other citizens that want to preserve our unique and endangered privacy in Mercersburg to attend the next Council meeting, Monday June 8th at 7:00PM.

05/25/2026

Over 1.2 million American service members have died as a result of military service since the founding of the United States in 1776. Many chose to fight but many were also forced to. Many fought for causes they believed in while many questioned the morality of war. Today, we remember them all for their sacrifice.

05/14/2026

The wait is almost over! The Harriet Lane Award will be announced next Thursday! This annual honor is presented by the Mayor of Mercersburg and acknowledges an extraordinary citizen for their contributions to art, education, and/or child welfare.

The award will be followed by a special presentation titled “Fort Sumter, James Buchanan, Genesis of the Civil War” by local historian, Thomas Steiger.

The program will begin at 7PM at Trinity United Church of Christ. Refreshments will be served. Thank you to the Mercersburg Historical Society for hosting this special event!