Henry S. Lane bought this site with a three-room cottage in 1844. The cottage is believed to have been built in 1831. In February of 1845 Henry married Joanna Elston, daughter of Major Isaac and Maria Elston. The Lanes lived in the cottage while the west wing of four rooms and central hall was added. Additions would be added again in the 1870s and 1890s. The Greek Revival style was dictated by the era. The Lane home and its surrounding Elston arboretum gave antebellum elegance to this pioneer village and it soon became the town’s Village Green.
The home is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. Lane was Governor, U.S. Representative and Senator. He helped form the Republican Party and was chair of the first National Republican Convention in 1856. At the 1860 Republican National Convention he was very instrumental in getting Abraham Lincoln placed on the ballot.
The Lane Place grounds are the setting of the annual Strawberry Festival, free summer concerts performed by the Montgomery County Civic Band, and many other events. The Pattison Pavilion, constructed in 1995, serves as a beautiful setting for numerous weddings and activities.
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