Welcome to Angel River, where every corner holds a secret and every landmark has a tale to tell. In this series, Storied Places of Angel River, we explore the hidden histories, whispered legends, and unforgettable moments that make our little town more than just a dot on the map. Whether you’re a longtime resident or just passing through, these stories are your invitation to discover the heart and soul of Angel River—one storied place at a time.

Perched on the tallest hill in Angel River, the house rides the ridge like a gleaming white ship upon an emerald sea, its gables and turret catching the light just so. It’s been known by many names: The Fitzgerald House, The Doyle House, Haven House. But most locals just call it The House on the Hill. It’s as if the place itself insists on remaining a little mysterious, a little untouchable, no matter how many footsteps cross its threshold.

The house’s story begins, as so many of Angel River’s stories do, with Gerald Fitzgerald, the town’s founder and its most restless dreamer. On a moonlit night in 1865, Gerald stumbled up the hill, his newborn grandson in his arms, and chose that spot for his family home. Years later he finally built the house, constructing a grand Victorian mansion with a sweeping wraparound porch and a round tower that became a kind of lighthouse in the landscape. With its gingerbread trim and sharp, steep roof, the house seemed to float above the town below, a symbol of hope, prosperity, and permanence.

But permanence is never promised. In the summer of 1912, a fire tore through the house in the dead of night. Only a few survived. The cause of the fire was never discovered, and rumors—whispers of a feud, a hidden ledger, a ghost—have followed the ashes ever since. For fifty years, the charred remains stood like bones against the skyline, a haunting silhouette and a reminder of the fragility of all we hold dear.

Then, in the 1960s, change came once more. The Doyle family, newcomers with quiet means and a fondness for solitude, rebuilt the house from the ground up, honoring the original design while adding modern comforts. Their version of the house stood strong for over two decades, until 1987, when they left town without warning. The reasons for their departure—and the secrets they left behind—are chronicled in Homesong, a tale that has become almost as woven into the house’s legacy as the fire that came before it.

And still the house endures. In the new century, it found fresh purpose as a foster home, a place not for grandeur but for grace. The elderly brother and sister who run it now were themselves once foster children. Under their care, the House on the Hill has become a refuge for those in need of stability, compassion, and a place to call home.

Each era leaves its mark. Each incarnation of the house seems to hold echoes of the ones before. And always, always, it watches over Angel River, a sentinel of stories. What will it become next? A retreat? A school? A ruin reclaimed by ivy? Only time knows. But if history is any indication, The House on the Hill will continue to transform, and to endure, riding the edge of fate like a boat on open water.

The House on the Hill features prominently in the books Homesong and The House on the Hill, and a 1917 visit is paid to its charred wreckage in Sweet Music. It will continue to appear in most, if not all, of the Angel River series.

Thanks for visiting one of the storied places of Angel River. If you enjoyed this glimpse into our town’s past, be sure to follow along for more tales still to come. Have a favorite Angel River memory or a place you think deserves the spotlight? I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment or email me at misha@mishacrews.com.

Sending hugs from between the pages,

Misha