It all started
with a spark.
A gathering place built by hand in 1924. A century of community, camaraderie and good food. Still going — and just getting started.
The storyA hundred years of
all-comers welcome.
John Sesow built the Wonder View Log Pavilion with his own hands in 1924 — a hideaway travelers could make home, and locals could call their own. A lively place made for merriment and camaraderie.
The roadhouse quickly became a destination. Not just for travelers passing through, but for the whole community of Peru and the surrounding towns. Whether you came to dance, revel or tipple moonshine by the fire, Seesaw's always had a place for you.
Fifteen years later, Lew deSchweinitz and the Parrish family carried the torch — converting the Wonder View into an all-season inn and naming it Johnny Seesaw's in honor of its founding spirit. The restored inn became beloved for its tight-knit community, retaining the rustic charm and warm welcome that defined it from the start.
Today the fire is rekindled. Lovingly restored and imaginatively revamped, the new Seesaw's honors a century of lively traditions while inspiring new ones. All-comers welcome — as always.
“It all started with a spark. A spark of an idea to build a special kind of gathering place. A lively place made for merriment and camaraderie.”
------A century in the making------The Seesaw’s timeline.
From a one-dollar land deal to a modern Vermont destination — a hundred years of history, told honestly.
1761
The land is chartered
Originally called Brumley, the town is chartered by the Royal Governor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth.
1804
Peru is born
The town is renamed “Peru” after the gold-rich South American country, in hopes of luring new settlers to the rocky Vermont land.
1924
John Sesow builds the Wonder View Log Pavilion
Russian immigrant John Ivan Sesow purchases the land for one dollar and builds the Wonder View Log Pavilion by hand — a roadhouse for dancing, reveling and community. The spark that started everything.
1931
The Depression hits — Sesow holds on
As the Great Depression deepens, Sesow and his wife take out multiple loans to keep the Wonder View afloat. The inn eventually defaults — but not from a poker game, as local legend insists.
1938
Lew deSchweinitz transforms it into a ski lodge
At his mother's encouragement, avid skier Lew deSchweinitz buys the neglected property and turns it into a ski lodge — renaming it Johnny Seesaw's in honor of the original proprietor.
1942
The High Mountain Farm keeps the lights on
The Parrish family establishes a working farm on the inn property to sustain operations through World War II. The Chicken Cabin's name traces directly to this era.
1980
Seesaw's opens to the public
Gary and Nancy Okun take over the property and open it fully to the public — seven days a week, always bustling with locals and out-of-towners alike.
2014
The inn goes dark
The property falls into disrepair and is seized by the bank. Johnny Seesaw's lies abandoned — but the story isn't over. Great places have a way of finding the right people at the right time.
2018
The fire is rekindled
New ownership brings Seesaw's back to life. The property is lovingly restored, the restaurant reopens and the fire pit is lit again. A new chapter begins — honoring the lively traditions of the inn and inspiring new ones.
------The lore------Some true. Some legend.
All Seesaw’s.
From a fabled poker bet to a ghost pacing the halls — the history of Seesaw’s is rife with stories that have grown richer with every telling.
The Gold RushPeru wasn't named for Peru.
Brumley was renamed “Peru” after the gold-rich South American country, hoping the association would tempt new settlers to relocate to the rocky Vermont land. The name stuck — and so did the settlers — even though little gold actually turned up.
The GambleHe didn't lose it in a poker game.
Local legend insists that Johnny Sesow bet the roadhouse in one of his notorious late-night poker games. The truth is less cinematic — the Sesows simply defaulted on a loan. But regulars still tell the poker version. Honestly, it's a better story.
The GhostThere may be a third guest you didn't book.
Generations of guests have awoken in the night to the sound of a woman walking the halls with a crying baby. There may not be proof, but regulars swear a ghost haunts the inn. We haven't seen her ourselves — but we haven't not seen her either.
The Pabst ConnectionThe brewing empire, hiding in plain sight.
To get Johnny Seesaw's off the ground, founder Lew deSchweinitz partnered with Fred Pabst Jr. Little did he know his partner was related to the famous brewing family by the same name — a connection that helped keep the inn open through World War II.
The SeducerieThe room that inspired proposals.
A plush hideaway filled with cushions and pillows on the former bandstand of the lodge, the “Seducerie” lived up to its name — inspiring more than one marriage proposal in its time. The bandstand is gone. The romantic spirit isn't.
The Chicken CabinThe guests were feathered first.
During World War II, a working farm was established on the property to keep the inn running through lean times. The cabin that once housed chickens was converted to human lodging in 1946. The original wainscoting survived. The chickens did not.
“Warm and authentic, the Seesaw’s voice embodies decades of genuine hospitality. Gracious and good-humored. Plainspoken with a dash of charm.”
Find usGet in touch.
Whether you’re planning a stay, a dinner reservation or a group event — we’re happy to help.
Address3574 VT-11
Peru, VT 05152
Lodging reservationsSeesaw's Lodge
(802) 856-7560
Dining & restaurantJohnny Seesaw's
(802) 824-5533
Emailwelcome@seesawslodge.com