Quote:
Originally Posted by t walgamuth
My previous home which is a lovely Greek Revival built in 1856 or so was bought by the neighboring Catholic Church about ten years ago. Now they are getting ready to tear it down to build a playground for their gradeschool. Today they let folks come in and bid on things to be removed. I went over and walked through and made a list of things I would like to take away. There were people everywhere.
It is a lovely home with spectacular oak woodwork including an ornate nook under the stair landing, a lot of 8' x 3' x 2.25" thick panel doors which pocket into the walls, four elaborate fireplace mantles, a spectacular Pair of fluted oak columns holding up a dentalled oak pediment, oak and fir floors, etc.
ten foot ceilings first floor and for some reason ten foot eight inch on second floor.
I'm walking through thinking of the first time I went into it and fell in love with the nook under the stairs and immediately went into "must buy" mode.
I looked at the fireplace where my kids used to hang their stockings.
Everywhere were things that I added or fixed.
I am afraid I got a little emotional and left after about fifteen minutes. 
I will be most sad to see it face the wrecking ball after all the high quality repairs I made to it back when I owned it. (IE I replaced deteriorated pine sheathing boards at the edge of the house with 3/4" t wolmanized plywood and or full 1" thick poplar rough sawn boards.)
I also replace rotten dentals with new ones made from solid poplar.
Sigh.....
I really cannot afford to save all the cool stuff from it.
I'll put in bids on things and hope nobody really wants some things that I know are there and get some nice stuff for not too much money.  |
Tom,
Many people might not understand your sorrow about this, but I think I do. I love the old houses while many people, no matter how beautiful the house, just see them as nothing more than termite bait.
There have been a BUNCH of them torn down in this area. If you want to see some of them, look up the old movie "Home From the Hill." It was filmed in this area and some REALLY handsome old homes are in the movie. Of the major ones in the movie, NONE of them are still standing.
I hope you're able to get as much memorabilia as possible before the bulldozers get to it. Many people have no idea about the magnificence of the woodwork and other details contained in these old homes.
All that said, I'm sure that the personal memories are as deep as the love for the architecture.
Keep your head up!
Larry