A letter written by Julie to her friend Mattie Yale on January 21, 1872:

“Satis Bene lies in ruins, but I have become the happy possesor of the Lyman place, to which Morris and I have given the name ‘Esperanza’ -‘Anchor of Hope’.

So you see, my dear, we are to be neighbours after all. I could not consent to see all our fine plans blown away like the mountain mist before a north wind.”

A bit of background.  Satis Bene had been bought by Julie and Morris in late 1870, a former farm with about 65 acres.  Following the summer of 1871, work was being done on it in November, 1871 when a fire started, burning it to the ground.  Julie then bought the neighbouring Lyman farm on the other side of the road, with another 18 acres.  This became Esperanza.  Satis Bene was rebuilt as a farm house; in the 1960’s Satis Bene and ten acres of the original purchase was sold off.  It is now a winery.

Mattie Yale lived in the house next to the Esperanza lot.  She had been instrumental in causing Julie to fall in love with the idea of creating a summer home in New Hartford, having invited Julie and family out several times.  If one is facing the houses: L to R is Satis Bene, a dirt road, Esperanza, and then the Yale house (then known as the Parsonage or Eaglesnest).

It says nothing good about the state of farming in the area that it was cheaper to buy up another farm rather than rebuild…  By that time the top of the hill, once a bustling town center, was virtually abandoned.