Happy Good Friday! This is where you share your old house finds, articles or general old house chit chat. Today’s old photo is a George F. Barber designed home. Thanks to Chris DiMattei for pointing me to the location, White Sulphur Springs, Montana. I do not know the exact date of the photo but the paper it’s printed on feels like the 1940’s or ’50s. The new photos are from 2008 (sorry no interior photos found), check out the street view here. It was built c. 1888. According to the old listing description the home was purchased by the Ringling family for housing summer circus acts around the turn of the century. It also stated “…Main floor original wood, oak floors and light fixtures in living room, dining room, entryway, receiving room with fireplace…”. I did not find any more than that but perhaps the wizards of house history can turn up more. Have a great weekend and blessed Easter. -Kelly
Happy Easter, Kelly! Thanks for everything you do!
Sears home for sale in VA… $850k tear down lolllll
http://dehartrealestate.lnf.com/PropertyDetails.aspx?MlsCompanyID=2&MlsNumber=FX9589313
My gosh, isn’t that crazy? Almost a million dollars to tear it down and start over!
Why would anyone want to tear that house down? People are crazy!
We looked at a sears home when we were buying! Not many around anymore. We ended up choosing a different one, but the sears home is just up the street. New owners just moved in and they put a pink flamingo in the yard. UGH LOL
That is a deal for an acre in Vienna! And with a nice older home too! I wish our budget were about 250k higher, I’d be all over that. I doubt anyone will tear it down, it’s in a nice residential neighborhood with lots of well kept older homes. What a crappy realtor to even suggest that home as a tear down.
Wish everyone a Happy Easter. Here is a house in Rochester, In.
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1029-Main-St_Rochester_IN_46975_M44425-25660
What a stately beauty!Thanks for sharing!
What a fabulous house except for the kitchen, and that’s fixable.
I agree, quite a beauty! Love the spindles on the stair, wow so unusual. Baths and kitchen need back dating, but this could be stunning.
Kelly— the house in White Sulphur Springs… I am currently ( yesterday and today) re-reading a great book called This House of Sky, by the author Ivan Doig. At one point he, his father and his grandmother rented rooms in this very house. I remember because of the Ringling name + White Sulphur Springs.. crazy synchronicity.
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/local/2015/04/09/acclaimed-author-ivan-doig-dies/25525591/
Thank you again for a wonderful website
Happy Easter! Speaking of the Ringling family, if any old house lovers find themselves in Sarasota FL they should go check out Ca D’Zan at the Ringling Museum. Its the completely restored winter home of John and Mabel Ringling (built in 1925 I believe). Not only is the architecture fascinating but it also houses beautiful artwork and decorative accents from several different centuries. You also can get a look at the service areas (pantries/kitchen). It’s really worth a go!
Ohhhhhhh…. I just want this…. http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/83941191_zpid
Now, that is a true beauty! Those rooms all look big enough to host a HUGE party (and, if I were lucky enough to own this, I would hold parties all of the time)! I love the kitchen upgrades and they balanced it by keeping the lovely pantry! Great find, Anna!
I agree very nice home and grounds. I’m guessing the distance from NYC accounts for the low price tag but appears to be in good shape. Kind of cringing at the thought of the winter utility bills though
Oh dear!! That is my PERFECT home 🙂 FANTASTIC
I want it too!!
Room for all the books I could ever want. Room to bake a whole lot of cookies. Room to sock-slide everywhere! Room to get away from people. And a whole lot of grass for me to stay perfectly happy mowing. 😀
LOVE this. I would be proud to own this home.
Holy-freakin’-moly!! Beautiful, just beautiful!! The only thing I would change is toning down the brightness level on a couple of the colors. Not the hue itself, just bring down the brightness a bit. The house is spectacular, bathrooms too! **Sigh**
This house…I’ve no words. Is the cupola original…and is it large enough to hold a comfy chair for reading? Love love love…
122 Port Rd
$799,900 | 3 Bed • 4 Bath
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/M46024-32842
122 Port Rd
$799,900 | 3 Bed • 4 Bath
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/M46024-32842
Wow–gorgeous house! A would love to sit and read outside by the little rock waterfall!
Great house and some very interesting details. The person who lives here loves some over the top decorations. Funny, I can’t see in the pictures any of the thirty five cats that must live here…. 🙂
Hahaha! I agree, those decorations are definitely over the top!
Yess, just move that standing lamp and plop a chair in their. Better yet, put the chair on a raised floor so you can see out better.
Stunning!
Maine is rapidly becoming my ideal place to move, once I’m done with the lack-of-snow of California.
http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/13732659/902-West-Main-Street-White-Sulphur-Springs-MT/
Chestatee, GA
It’s also linked below the photos with the Realtor.com link.
Such a shame that they removed the wrap around porch. It changes the look of the house immensely!
Great house and old photo in Montana. There’s a book about the Ringlings in Montana – the review suggests this house was owned by Richard T. Ringling, a nephew of John Ringling. He married a local girl, but died young and is buried nearby.
http://www.riverbendpublishing.com/three-ringlings-in-montana.html
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=57843603
Happy Easter from me too! And thanks to Kelly for all the great houses you give us all year long – better than dyed eggs and chocolate bunnies with their ears bit off, or Peeps!
A 1925 English Revival – looks like the kitchen and several of the baths are original. Its’ “twin” shares a courtyard with it!
http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/Holyoke-MA/11959_rid/2-_beds/2-_baths/250000-400000_price/904-1446_mp/any_days/42.331392,-72.407456,42.114778,-72.872315_rect/10_zm/
Here is a bit more about the twin houses:
http://holyokemass.com/2014/02/17/macris-houses-148-and-158-morgan-street/comment-page-1/
What a great story–houses for sisters! The house is such a great price for a fantastic house! Your link to Zillow made me find several lovely old beauties in Holyoke, MA. It looks like a really beautiful place to live and if these houses were in some of the major cities, they would be over a million dollars! I’m going to link a couple of the houses that I found below. Thanks for a great share!
Thanks, Karen! Holyoke has its share of problems, but there are some beautiful neighborhoods.
Thank you so much, Kelly, for all you do here, I hope that you are feeling much better now. Happy Easter to all!
Happy Easter, Kelly and everyone!
Happy Easter everyone…
I thought share a Dutch house for a change. This is a house in Maastricht. A great small town in the southern the Netherlands. It’s close to the center and the train station. It’s more than worth it’s asking price. And honestly… I’ve never seen a house like that here. Almost all of it is original.
http://www.funda.nl/koop/maastricht/huis-49646470-franciscus-romanusweg-44/
What a great house and location. It looks like a great place to live. I especially love the sleek kitchen and the great lighting!
Thanks Noelle, a refreshing home. I like it, even with it’s more modern style!!!
I wanted to add more info in the style of building. It’s called “Amsterdamse School” and was used mainly between 1910 and 1930. So this house not that modern. It’s about 100 yrs old. The most amazing thing is that this type of architecture mainly exists around Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam… Not where I live. So I would say this house is fairly unique especially with this many original components.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam_School
Years ago I read a biography called Grace In China. It’s the story about a Chattanooga debutante who met and fell in love with a Chinese guy. They married and moved to China where she lived until the 1970’s. Her fascinating story tells about raising a family through WWII and then communist China. For some reason I remembered the story and imagine my surprise when I saw the house that Grace grew up in when I was looking at old houses in TN.
http://www.kw.com/homes-for-sale/37404/TN/Chattanooga/360-S-Crest-Rd/3yd-CARTN-1227361.html
Here’s the book. Tales about the house and a photograph is in the book.
http://www.amazon.com/Grace-China-American-Beyond-1934-1974/dp/157966024X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1458986820&sr=1-4&keywords=grace+in+china
All I can say is WOW! 🙂
What a fascinating story and how amazing that it was the same house that is now for sale! I really appreciate looking at a gorgeous property and now I have a new book on my reading list! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks Chris, the Hutcheson House in Chattanooga aka Windcrest is a great house, but why did Grace Divine Liu live there?
http://focus.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/78002597
Jim, This was her childhood home. It was a few years ago that I read it, so I may have to read it again now. But she spoke of growing up with a big family in the house. I believe she went back there in the 70’s, but by that time her family had moved away.
Beautiful 1908 Victorian in Wilton, IA:
http://mymobile.flexmls.com/DANIELOIEN/shared_links/QbKL/listings/20160323144512274938000000
Hi, it looks like you need to log into this site. Can you post it from realtor.com or zillow?
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/201-W-5th-St_Wilton_IA_52778_M75768-55516?ex=IA607521891
I assume it’s this house. Beautiful interior! Love the wood and the windows. I like the kitchen too–I just tore mine apart cooking and baking all day… lots of counters for me to make messes on there! That cool staircase landing looks like trouble for me and my big feet though!
Click StreetView–the east side is beautiful!
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/201-W-5th-St-Wilton-IA-52778/2099225459_zpid/
A couple more pictures with this link.
This old house is only a dream for most, but it doesn’t hurt to dream! This house was built for the original owner of the Brown Shoe Company of St Louis, so this is “the House that Buster Brown built”!!
http://www.janetmcafee.com/Property/Detail/MARIS/16018992/40-Portland-Place-St-Louis-MO-63108
Incredible!
Wow amazing. I can’t believe the bathrooms haven’t been more updated…they are wonderful.
Just WOW!!!
Chestatee, GA
A few more detailed pics here (I know, need to add new photos/update status.)
anyone for a beautiful Sicilian villa? This place is gorgeous. Check it out. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/overseas-property/property-58402142.html?utm_content=v2-ealertspropertyimage&utm_medium=email&utm_source=emailupdates&utm_campaign=emailupdates7day&utm_term=overseas&sc_id=18578281&onetime_FromEmail=true
I love it! So beautifully decorated, too!
Michele, the home in IN will do just fine for me. I’ll take it furnished, please.
Yes, it is rather perfect! Just that kitchen!!!
Wife and I finally put in an offer on a place:
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/406-S-King-St-Leesburg-VA-20175/12411885_zpid/?view=public
We were originally looking for a place with more land a little further out, but I have started a new job closer in to DC, so the commute was a deciding factor. We were just happy to find something we both loved that was within 40 minutes drive from my job. Other than a few changes in the kitchen and some stripping of paint/refinishing wood, we generally like the design of the home. Might repaint the exterior. Fingers crossed they’ll accept our offer, it’s strong and the home has been on the market a while, so I think we are good to go.
Chestatee, GA
Pretty! Let us know how it goes!
That’s a beautiful home, Ian. I hope that you get it!
Best wishes on this beautiful home! I love, love, love the spiral staircase, the blue cabinets in the kitchen, the window seat, and the bathrooms! House is as cute as can be!
This is the house that my mom and I got to tour for an open house–it’s the house that got me hooked on old homes! I would have jumped on this (my mom claimed the carriage house to live in) and I wanted to put in a pool that looked like a natural pond. The only problem with this home is that there is a waste dump about a mile away that was just recently put under armed guard! The tray at the bottom of the stairs was to hold a “calling card”. The visitor would wait in the parlor and when the General came down the stairs, they would be announced! The wood in the dining room was not painted when we toured and I was disappointed to see that in the listing photos. http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/411-Terrace-Ave-Apollo-PA-15613/78531418_zpid/?view=public
Well, location aside, the price and beauty of the house captivate me. One instance where you might want to reconsider removing lead paint (if there is any). Thank you for sharing! Houses like this make me happy, with so many original details intact.
But my goodness, what a beautiful dining room it is!
Historical beauty in Corsicana to. http://www.movoto.com/corsicana-tx/1522-sycamore-avenue-corsicana-tx-75110-402_13246412/
So pretty!
This amazing historic mansion in Minneapolis has a video tour that is worth your time. It switches back and forth betweeen the imagined life of the home in the 1920’s and the modern day. An amazing restoration showcased in a unique and mesmerizing way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h0x7z8SoHg
Chestatee, GA
What a brilliant way to market an old house! Love it!
Very cool! Stay tuned after the video for an awesome presentation of the Pabst Mansion. Amazing that it has survived, truly remarkable.
Gorgeous! Brilliant marketing idea!
These are some of the noteworthy houses for sale around my county, some need some work and some been modernized but they’re still some pretty cool houses.
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/212-E-Locust-St_Maquoketa_IA_52060_M72629-69590
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/311-E-Locust-St_Maquoketa_IA_52060_M78970-53054
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/315-S-Niagara-St_Maquoketa_IA_52060_M78717-86745
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/17612-328th-Ave_Bellevue_IA_52031_M70354-48383
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/400-Western_Lost-Nation_IA_52254_M84792-59026
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/438-Grant-St_Miles_IA_52064_M79013-38638
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/41-Allen-St_Miles_IA_52064_M79027-17478
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/63-N-Mitchell-St_Preston_IA_52069_M89601-30068
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/401-Market-St_Delmar_IA_52037_M80460-82066
I love the one in Lost Nation. My father used to have some extended family in the area and went there for a family reunion once. Pretty little town too.
I love this one! Wish it had been on the market when we bought!
http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/41.12834,-73.501682_ll/any_days/globalrelevanceex_sort/41.134654,-73.495499,41.121416,-73.515047_rect/15_zm/?view=map
It’s not often that you see a house that’s almost 300 years old (in the U.S. anyway)! That’s a great house!
Actually, homes of this age are not unusual in New England! I live in a 1720 built house and am working with other perservationists to save a 1735 built home from the developer who currently owns it.
That’s really great!
Cute house. Are those the original kitchen cabinets? Under that paint.
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5-Adams-St-Sparta-GA-31087/113518984_zpid/
Strange addition.
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1303-W-3rd-St-Sterling-IL-61081/84841551_zpid/
I think this house is cute. I am assuming the built date is the first section.
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/79-Congress-St-Bethlehem-NH-03574/92851660_zpid/
I would love to see more of this house and barn. I could see it being a fab wedding venue.
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/234-Old-Lake-Clear-Rd-Lake-Clear-NY-12983/2100605482_zpid/
I dig this house… a lot.
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/152-Park-Ave-Crawford-GA-30630/2118521678_zpid/
The builtins…. drool
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/35-Vt-Route-243-North-Troy-VT-05859/75450622_zpid/
I know the kitchen is new, but the details are cute, with the bead board and all.
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/65-Dyer-St-Presque-Isle-ME-04769/95228146_zpid/
So cute! Love it.
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/736-Forsyth-St-Monticello-GA-31064/70016706_zpid/
I wish they put a year down. Super cute mid century modern.
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/166-Kimberly-Dr-Woodville-AL-35776/2132297645_zpid/
Love the stained glass windows on the stairs in Sparta, GA.
Really a darling house in Monticello, GA, too! Love the fireplace in the kitchen.
I was looking at the beautiful house linked by Anne M. in Holyoke,MA and found two more gorgeous old homes. I might just have to move as this town really looks like it is a wonderful place (great old homes with great prices)! This first one is beautiful and even the kitchen reno was done really well (in my un-expert opinion)! http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/Holyoke-MA/56176420_zpid/11959_rid/2-_beds/2-_baths/250000-400000_price/907-1451_mp/any_days/42.351693,-72.347374,42.094401,-72.932396_rect/10_zm/?3col=true
The second one looks like it is out of a movie! I really love the sun rooms on this one, although the first thing that I would do is to change the frightfully red Dining Room! http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/Holyoke-MA/56176651_zpid/11959_rid/2-_beds/2-_baths/250000-400000_price/907-1451_mp/any_days/42.351693,-72.347374,42.094401,-72.932396_rect/10_zm/?3col=true
Trying to post a link but my phone is the worst! (admin edit: added link)
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/130-Button-Bay-Ln-Ferrisburgh-VT-05456/2122533730_zpid/
130 Button Bay Ln.
Ferrisburg, VT
Sweet lakeside home on Lake Champlain. Built in 1945. I have fond memories of many summers hanging out with my friend in this home. My family’s lake home is right next door. When my friend’s mom bought this home it was falling apart and had been vacant for some time. Her mom spent years improving and preserving the home and it was used by her family as a summer place, though it is fully winterized. My family’s home is just beyond the lattice in photo 15. Button Bay is a great place as the majority of the bay is a state park, so few homes. The lane is a true lane, one lane dirt road dotted with a few full time homes and majority of summer cabins that have belonged to the same families for generations. There was one cabin that was torn down and another large thing was built in its place. But small lots and strict codes prevent that sort of thing.
I’d buy the home if I had the money. But it does sit smack on the property line (lattice) with my mom’s place, and the lotis
Thank you Kelly for adding the link.
Here is a west coast victorian from Washington’s Victorian Seaport- Port Townsend,Wa-
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/744-Clay-St_Port-Townsend_WA_98368_M26915-24643
I loved the house so much as a youth- I actually spent on part of my honeymoon here-
The current paint scheme does not do the house the justice it deserves.
I like it…
1150 Franklin St
$219,000 | 6 Bed • 5 Bath
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/M36672-86080
What style would this be?
361 Bliss St
$409,900 | 5 Bed • 5 Bath
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/M37946-62234
My mom lives in Champaign, IL. Every time I go visit her, I gawk at this house when driving by. I just feel drawn to it.
https://www.coldwellbanker.com/property/407-N-Prospect-Avenue-Champaign-IL-61821-MLS-2153293
I’m posting this one because of the woodwook! And the butlers pantry, and it even comes with the original icebox. I also knew who the previous owner was, she was an elderly woman who passed away a few years ago. She lived there as long as I can remember. Not sure why there’s a kitchen on the 2nd level. It was never a duplex to my knowledge, but who knows!
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/502-W-Evans-St_Princeville_IL_61559_M76467-66763#photo30
Thanks for the George F. Barber designed house archival photo. Barber marketed heavily in his ads to small town folks via popular magazines of his time. His widespread appeal was to offer a fine, impressive house for clients to be built in towns that lacked architects. However, his designs were so popular that even in cities with an abundance of local architects some still chose Barber’s house plans over others. I spent the weekend helping our son with enclosing and screening a back porch to keep our notorious Texas mosquitoes at bay during our summers. Hope everyone had a pleasant Easter weekend.
Chestatee, GA
I’m about to post a house in Portland that made me think of the book by Virginia Lee Burton “The Little House”. I did not know there was a cartoon made.
Oooh. I remember the book and maybe the short (had to watch). Thanks for refreshing a memory. (Suzie the Little Blue Coupe is another nifty short, in a similar vein.) Makes you want to give the little house a hug and pat its roof shingles reassuringly.
Here a nice iron store front but lots of redo inside and a bit pricey for the location Built in 1892. http://www.farmerco.net/idx/319-Ferry-St-Metropolis-IL-62960-mls_404765/?PropertyType=B&City=Metropolis&StandardStatus=Active&pg=1&OrderBy=-ListPrice&p=y&n=y
That facade is typical of Mesker, a family firm that sold and shipped storefronts nationally from two locations in the Midwest. Mesker Bros. was based in St. Louis and George Mesker had a factory in Evansville, Indiana. In Texas alone, there are estimated to be 500+ Mesker storefronts and today many can still be found in smaller towns across the Lone Star State. Facades and components were selected from Mesker catalogs, a price was quoted, and then shipped to the customer upon approval. Here’s a blog devoted to the study of the Mesker architectural legacy: (a couple of rare original catalogs are accessible there as well) https://meskerbrothers.wordpress.com/
Chestatee, GA
The description of this one sounds like more trouble than it’s worth. I’ve always been fascinated by the house, shame no interior photos.
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/818-S-Bonnie-Brae-St-Los-Angeles-CA-90057/20625100_zpid/
Wiki has better exterior pics.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Mitchell_Mooers_House
Man, they certainly warn about those “existing tenancies” enough times. Sounds like the tenants have secured the anchors and now the owners are basically done with it and want it off their hands. Too bad. It is a really nice looking house from that one photo. But we see the same thing up here in the San Francisco area. Is pretty common actually.
The F.M. Mooers House has been a landmark home from day one. Interesting that no architect’s name is cited. It does superficially resemble some of the work of the Newsom Brothers who in the 1880’s built a number of fine mansions in Los Angeles like the L.L. Bradbury House and the Sessions House (still extant) I believe by 1893 the Newsom brothers were working independently with only one (Joseph Cather Newsom?) still based in LA. I find the mansion’s price both intriguing and troubling as a house of that caliber in Los Angeles is often in the multi-million dollar range. It also makes me think the interior may be in poor and/or trashed condition. If I were able to buy a house in that price range, I’d be willing to move to LA for that Victorian Queen Anne masterpiece. It has both Moorish details in the onion tower dome; a hint of futuristic Art Nouveau to come in the upper balcony porch and generally a uniqueness that few other houses have. I sincerely hope it sells to someone or an organization that is preservation minded. It is one my favorite Victorians in the Golden State.
Can we call the late 70’s “old house” yet? I apologize if this is borderline… but too cool not to share. It was the personal home of architect James Johnson, who designed Rochester NY’s famed Mushroom House, as well as many other unique buildings. Mr. Johnson passed away recently… and I really hope his home falls into the right hands! Original kitchen, awesome. Original carpets?? eek! http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/86-Mountain-Rd-Rochester-NY-14625/31003375_zpid/
I actually love the green kitchen. I’d keep it as is. What a fun house!
Underneath the peacocks, the peacocks, and…The peacocks…this is a historical and unique home.
I just know I’m going to dream about peacocks tonight.
519 N 9th St
$118,500 | 5 Bed • 2 Bath
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/M85195-57696
http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/CA/house_type/20625100_zpid/9_rid/any_days/1800-1915_built/globalrelevanceex_sort/45.552525,-97.844239,28.30438,-140.734864_rect/4_zm/?3col=true
Only the one photo, but this is a flawless house. I love
Chestatee, GA
See above comment from me for more exterior pics on Wikipedia. 🙂
Interesting home in south Georgia, wish there were more photos of both the interior and exterior. I haven’t seen this one posted here and recently joined the site. Am enjoying every minute! Thank you, Kelly.
“Available for purchase for the first time in almost 40 years, Burbank Cottage is a classic late nineteenth century Shingle Style home situated on over an acre in the popular Tockwotton Historic District. Constructed in 1885 by Evelyn Burbank as a winter cottage, the home possess unique architectural elements including the two story Gambrel roof and a three story tower. An orangery, complete with Spanish tile roof, adds to the architectural interest of the home and serves as an incredible sunroom that is well suited for entertaining.”
http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/GA/house_type/92457501_zpid/16_rid/any_days/historic_att/36.337253,-77.56897,28.926439,-88.884888_rect/6_zm/3_p/?3col=true
Love this shingle!
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/39-Indian-Dr-Clinton-CT-06413/58843319_zpid/
Chestatee, GA
I’m looking through New York listings and came across a sad, sad Queen Anne. Not for sale (the house across the street is, link poor thing.)
Wowzers.
Ooooh. What a sad, beautiful girl. That chimney is majestic.
I wish we knew the history. How does one simply walk away from a home such as this?
Location is the reason for something like this. Elmira is a town of 29,000 on the Chemung River in far southern NY near the Pennsylvania border. Like so many old towns in this broad, multi-state region, Elmira blossomed in the 19th century but began to decline in the 20th as factories and businesses closed and jobs became scarce. In 1973, the Chemung River flooded out of its banks and caused significant flood damage to the town. As many know, Elmira has a historic connection to Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and the famous writer/Victorian celebrity is buried there. His Octagonal writer’s study is a local tourist attraction. As Elmira depopulated, scores of fine Victorian homes were left behind. Some were bought cheaply and converted to low income rentals, others were left in this state. (as seen in the photo) In a best case scenario, most of the interior is intact but it would not surprise me if period details (millwork, art glass, even ornamental hardware and tiles) have been removed. If most or at least some details remain, this house might restoration potential but it would still be in the major project category. I can safely assume the selling price would not be very high as fixer uppers there are usually bargain priced. The town does have a dedicated group of preservationists but they have more old houses than they have restorers. The Queen Anne style house is undoubtedly architect designed and likely belong to prominent Elmira citizens in its early days. Time has not been kind to this once fine old home. Thanks for sharing.
Here’s one in the southern Indiana town of Evansville in the Washington Ave. historic district that got my attention: http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/514-Washington-Ave-Evansville-IN-47713/94596218_zpid/?view=public Priced at only $90K and currently a 6-unit dwelling but it looks like most of the original fine period details survive. Doesn’t look chopped up inside but would take a bit of work to bring it back to single family. Vinyl siding outside but I think it could be removed to reveal the original appearance. Streetview: https://goo.gl/maps/SbTyASzkpvE2 Washington Avenue was once lined with the mansions of Evansville’s elite, went through a long period of decline, but is now slowly experiencing revitalization. The recent demo of a large house next door would now allow this to be a Victorian mansion with a large corner lot. Comments (Jeff?) would be welcome…
I’ve been saving up links for the next link exchange, but I wanted to post this one right away…”The Castle”
1155 N River Blvd
$3,500,000 | 17 Bed • 17 Bath
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/M79675-94916