A Blast from The Past
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Moving into our Queen Anne Victorian home over 3 years ago, we have always hoped to someday find someone, somewhere who would know more about it's history and possibly know what it looked like when it was first built nearly 120 years ago. I have checked into the local historical section of our library, and came up empty handed. We know our house once was the frat house for the King's Fraternity for the Otterbein University we are neighboring. We asked their local historian for any info, and as reliable and responsible as a 20 year old frat guy "historian" is, we not-so-shockingly never heard back. We've questioned the outspoken former mayor of our town (she lives in a perfectly primped little pink and white gingerbready Victorian just 2 houses down from us) hoping she might know more. She did, but only more recent history- like the past 30 years or so. So our search has not brought up anything much for now.
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And then some delicious bit of luck floated our way. A local older dentist in the neighborhood was given a small, very old book published in 1900 from his sister, who picked it up for a dime at a local yard sale. In the book were photos of homes all around the area. Only two homes were featured from our town, which at the time was only a small farming village. Ours was one of them. Of course, at the time there was no address, at least not the same as today. He wondered where this house might be, and that the current owners (US!) might want to see what their house originally looked like(YES!!).
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He was compelled to speak with one of the oldest locals he knew, a 90 year old man who after seeing the picture could not immediately recall which house it might be. But the next time he saw the man, He had figured out which local home was the same one as in the book. It was ours. The dentist brought the picture to our neighbor, who then gave it to us. The description said our house "was the finest home in the village."! That was 1900! How amazing. After being given the photos we just sat in quiet amazement. It was so beautiful! It really makes me want to renovate it to it's original glory. Heaven knows that'll probably break the budget... but I am just dying to know how much it might be. So I am now on the search for a historical renovation company.
He was compelled to speak with one of the oldest locals he knew, a 90 year old man who after seeing the picture could not immediately recall which house it might be. But the next time he saw the man, He had figured out which local home was the same one as in the book. It was ours. The dentist brought the picture to our neighbor, who then gave it to us. The description said our house "was the finest home in the village."! That was 1900! How amazing. After being given the photos we just sat in quiet amazement. It was so beautiful! It really makes me want to renovate it to it's original glory. Heaven knows that'll probably break the budget... but I am just dying to know how much it might be. So I am now on the search for a historical renovation company.
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Needless to say, we are just thrilled to have this snippet of precious history of our home!
2 comments:
THAT is how your house is really supposed to look!! I've always felt that in my soul. Your house's spirit was wailing to you guys...FREE ME FROM MY VINYL SIDING!!!
WOW! My mouth literally fell open when I scrolled down! Fell open in Aw! WOW, it looks amazing! Who ever took all that down was crazy! THat's so great that that came your direction, do you feel a little like Nancy Drew? THe case of the missing house history.... Where there any pics of the inside? WOW, what did Mr. Knox do? THe finest house in town for sure! I'm sure Mrs. Knox did a little happy dance in heaven when yall bought the house and she knew some one would love it and want to return it to its former glory :) And that proves that the house behind was the "helper" house. I wonder if slaves ever lived there? Where they farmers then? This just begs more questions????
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