Research is fun - no matter where you do it. I especially love research at the library. And I've been known to spend a lot of time searching online sources from home. This time, though, our successful research started at the Hair Shed.
Through my hair stylist, we are lucky to meet Margaret, a descendant of the family who owned the lot before our house was built. Sadly, this grand Victorian house burned around 1910, four years before the 1914 construction of our bungalow. Here's how it stood proudly on our corner lot in 1907.
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| Hinchey, R. E., & Berninghaus, O. E. (1907). Aurora: Lawrence County Missouri. St. Louis, MO: Buxton & Skinner, Printers and Publishers. |
Through Margaret and her friend Carol Ann, we are introduced to Betty, who lived in the Ozarks Bungalow in the 1930s. Betty's grandparents, the second owners, purchased the house in 1930 and lived in it for 50 years. Here's what the house looked like in 1937 while Betty was living here.
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| Lawrence County Historical Society (Mo.). (1900). Lawrence County in pictures, 1937. Mt. Vernon, Mo.: Lawrence County Historical Society. |
Betty stopped by last week to help us figure out the alterations made by her grandparents in their big 1958 renovation. We still haven't discovered the original floor plan, so we're thrilled to hear Betty's stories about the now nonexistent back door, the pocket door that may or may not be still inside the wall, and the back porch that was re-used for the expanded kitchen.
Yours in researching our house and meeting our neighbors,
Mary
Yours in researching our house and meeting our neighbors,
Mary
Very cool
ReplyDeleteI love your home and can't wait to see it in person! I'm sending the link to your blog to Alfred because, somehow, he doesn't get the FB updates. He shares your interest in architecture and building. And, of course, he's just dying to see what you two have been up to! xxxoooxxx
ReplyDeleteYes Terry, come see us. And please do send this to Alfred the "Yurtmaster". We're holding off on all our plans for cylindrical canvas additions pending his consultation.
Deletegreat memories as a child (1966 - 1973) playing up and down the street, climbing on the wall waiting for the bus, and selling Girl Scout Cookies.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this peek back. Evidently the Moores were legendary cookie buyers. Great memories indeed!
DeleteI am so happy to see all the work you are doing on what will always be my "home". Please be a good custodian to her and she will keep you safe and warm for a long time to come.
ReplyDeleteWe're lucky to be just the fifth owners of this 100-year-old home. So we're doing our best to get her second hundred years off to a fine start.
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