The first time we looked at this house, we were very much entertained. We didn't expect that we would revisit this place, as we figured it was more fixer than we cared to work with. This old house is a very tired old house! However, we discovered the 'bones' to be solid, and the other options we were considering were turning out to be far too much of a financial strain. We thought we would go to the bargaining table on this one, since despite its need for some major updates, it still was more of a matter of cleaning, scrubbing and repairing. When we left the bargaining table, we were suprised to have reached an agreement of $8,300 for the purchase of this old house. Proof that when all of the doors seem to have closed, the Lord suddenly shows you a secret doorway you never imagine existed! The house sits on a full city block, about 2 acres. There are 14 lots.
The fun things we learned about this house's history are that it was built in 1885. The first load of lumber cost $256. The second and final load cost less than this. It was built by a gentleman from Texas. He built two other homes in the nearby area, however, this is the only one he built with closets. Closets were unheard of in those days because generally a person was taxed on the number of rooms in the home and each closet counted as an additional home. There was a time that the house was used for boarding. After that time, the Henderson family, also from Texas, settled in and raised their families. LeRee, the lady we bought the home from, turns 97 years old in two weeks.
The home had become difficult for the family to keep up, and last summer, their mother had to go to a nursing home after she fell and injured her hips.
There will be lots of repairs, lots of cleaning and some serious updates in the near future. I love to try to preserve what I can, but not at the expense of comfort and simplicity that modern day provides us with. So I'm anxious to see how this blend of antique and modern will mix after all of the work is complete. Be prepared from lots of before and after photos!
The first project to get underway is plumbing. The lines all froze and split this last winter so the home has no water right now. As Tim measured out what he would need and made a list of fittings and supplies we need to take up with us when we visit next, I put myself to work in the bathroom to find some answers about the tub. One big question that we've had is whether or not the tub in the bathroom was a clawfoot tub or not. After a little bit of demolition I could hardly wait to get the flashlight into the dark hole. You can see where I broke the side of the tub surround so we could get a good look. Guess what we found?
Claw Feet!
