The Equestrian Facility at White North is rich in history dating back to 1894.  The estate was originally owned by Edward A. Merritt, a prominent Cleveland business man.  The Merritt's named their estate "Huntington Place", and it encompassed nearly 715 acres. 

In 1915 Huntington Place was purchased by Windsor T. White and his wife Delia.  Windsor White renamed the estate "Halfred Farms" after his favorite hunt horse, and expanded it to over 1000 acres on both banks of the Chagrin River.  Mr. White was the First Master of the Chagrin Valley Hunt for seven years, and skillfully molded Halfred Farms into the jewel of all country estates. 

Information for  the historical content of the website was cited from "Hunting Valley, A History", by Diana Tuttle and Mark Gottlieb. cc1999.

Our History...

The estate boasted a white clapboard dairy, greenhouse, and expansive stable complex, at which weekly polo matches took place.  The stables at Halfred Farms consisted of 40 stalls, an outdoor and indoor arena/polo field, an 8.2 acre outdoor polo field, a blacksmith workshop, and a kennel which housed Norwegian Wolf Hounds.   There was also a racetrack at the rear of the complex.

After the death of Windsor T. White in 1958, Halfred Farms was divided into four parcels.  The property which housed the stable and polo fields was purchased by the Ingalls family who owned the adjoining airstrip.  The property changed hands again, until recently, when several advocates, private investors, The Chagrin River Land Conservancy, and Village of Hunting Valley took measures in order to preserve the land and its historic buildings.

In 1998, Elizabeth Porter began restoring Halfred Farms to its previous glory and opened Wilde Fields for business. 

In 2006 the Western Reserve Land Conservancy assumed business operations of the facility and White North Stables was born.  The Board of Trustees has continued where Ms. Porter left off restoring the facility, and is undergoing a second capital campaign to that end.

Simply walking through the facility conjures visions of polo players in the old dormitories above the stable, in which you can still see the original bathroom fixtures.  The grandeur of the age old woodwork, cobblestone halls, built in saddle cabinets,  and attention to detail is awe inspiring.  A single gaze through one of  its many windows transports you to a time long past, but lovingly remembered by many families in the community.  One can only imagine how this diamond must have shone in its childhood days.

Please go to the following link to follow the restoration of White North,

and to find out how you can be a part of bringing this historic gem back to its original beauty.

Restoration at White North Stable