The Long History of Cassel Vineyards and Pavone's Restaurant

(The picture on the left shows the family of Squire Cassel who is seated in the front row on the right. His son, Calvin is seated beside him second from right and directly behind him is Christian Cassel. Christian bought Cassel's Brookside Farms and also bought the schoolhouse where Pavone's Restaurant is now located. He sold the schoolhouse to the Sleva family who turned it into the original Cracker Barrel who then sold it to the Pavone family.)

Cassel Vineyards of Hershey’s Wines have found a new home at Pavone’s Restaurant. It’s not actually a new home because the wines from Cassel Vineyard are essentially coming home. To understand what I mean one has to know the history of Pavone’s Restaurant. Pavones was originally built by Squire Calvin Cassel who owned the adjacent land and farm bordered by Route 22 to the north which contained the Cassel Mansion. Squire Cassel raised Christian E. Cassel who was the owner and founder of Cassel’s Brookside Farms one mile South of Pavone’s along Old Hershey Road (present day Rt.39). Presently, the 5^th generation of Cassels are now working the same farm and have brought the fruits of their land full circle by establishing their vineyard and bringing the wines of Cassel Vineyards of Hershey back to the school where their Great, grandfather once lived, worked and played.