Where History, Beauty, and Hospitality Come Together
ABOUT US
What began as a historic home in the 1800s has grown into a gathering place for coffee, tea, celebrations, and overnight stays. It’s a place where guests can slow down and enjoy life’s precious moments.
In 1864, during the Civil War era, William and Caroline McConnell built what is now known as the McConnell-Butler House. William, owner of the Eagle Flour Mills located along Eagle Creek on East Sandusky Street, established the home as a symbol of refinement and prosperity in Findlay.
Designed in the elegant Bracketed Italianate style, a favorite of the time, the home features a symmetrical façade, arched windows, an ornate porch roof, and distinctive cornice brackets. These architectural details have helped the house remain one of the area’s enduring treasures.
The McConnells lived in the home until relocating to Toledo in 1880, when the property passed to Peter and Susanna Hosler, whose family of twelve filled the home with life for generations.
Over the decades, the home has lived many lives. In 1929, the space first became a tea room, a fitting chapter for a home built for hospitality. In the years that followed, the building served many purposes within the community, including medical offices with apartments upstairs under Dr. E. E. Rakestraw from 1933 to 1951, as well as later housing a beauty shop and several apartments.
In 1998, the home was lovingly restored by Rindy Crates, Kay Kose, and Vicki Powell, who spent six months returning many of the home’s original architectural features to their former beauty. During the restoration, the lowered first-floor ceiling was raised to its original height, the original front entrance was uncovered, and historic interior shutters were rediscovered. Following this restoration, the building reopened as Swan House, a tea room and gift shop.
The building later passed to Beverly Robb, who operated the tea room until the spring of 2015, when it was purchased by Kimberly Butler, who reopened it as Swan House Tea Room. Kimberly operated the tea room until February 1, 2023, when the business was acquired by Julie Bishop.
The property was then acquired by the Barger family, who owns the building today and has thoughtfully expanded Swan House into a welcoming tea and coffee shop with charming suites upstairs, allowing guests to experience the beauty and hospitality of the historic home in new ways.
Our History
A New Chapter
- A Proper Tea experience rooted in tradition
- A welcoming coffee & tea shop open for everyday visits
- Beautifully appointed suites above the tea house for overnight stays
What began as a historic tea room has now blossomed into:
Through thoughtful remodeling and intentional design, our founders have honored the home’s original character while carefully reimagining it for a new generation of guests, a place where vintage charm meets modern comfort.
Each room has been thoughtfully designed with curated vintage pieces and refined details that preserve the soul of the home while introducing modern comforts. Our founders poured their hearts into selecting, designing, and remodeling every space, working alongside talented contractors to thoughtfully restore the house while ensuring it remains welcoming, functional, and ready to be enjoyed for years to come.
Proudly partnering with and Giving Back in Our Community To:
Timeless, Yet Renewed
From the delicate tiers of Proper Tea, to a morning coffee at the counter, to a peaceful evening spent in our suites, Swan House is a place where history and hospitality meet.
The walls have witnessed generations — and now, we are honored to continue the story.
Jimmy and Joy share a love of history, tradition and all things vintage! When given the opportunity to take over operations of the Swan House Tea Room in October of 2023, they recognized it as a tremendous opportunity to invest in the heritage of Hancock County and breathe new life into the valued, time-less tradition of Proper Tea. Jimmy’s love of coffee and desire to bring a third-wave, artisanal coffee experience to Findlay led to the expansion into Swan House Tea and Coffee in October of 2025.
Jimmy and Joy are Findlay locals. They love to travel and spend time with their 5 children and two grandchildren at every opportunity. Jimmy owns and operates a telecom business and Joy operates Swan House Tea and Coffee.
Meet the Owners
Reserve a proper tea
Book Now
join us
Proper Tea is served the last two weekends of every month.
Fridays at 11:00 a.m and Saturdays 11 a.m. or 2:00 p.m
