Historic House Blog

It’s no surprise that “This Old House” chose Wellington, Ohio as one of its “Best Old House Towns” in 2010.  Wellington is a “quaint and quiet northern Ohio town” with a small population of people (4,700), but a large population of beautiful historic houses.  The town features an impressive spectrum of Victorian era houses — [...]

This house is significant enough that it’s listed on the Connecticut Freedom Trail, which designates “sites that embody the struggle toward freedom and human dignity” and “celebrates the accomplishments of the state’s African American community.”  So why is this particular property worthy of recognition?  The designation honors Henry and Lyzette Munroe, a black farmer & [...]

Really, BGSU? The school where I earned my B.A. in History is about to needlessly knock down a very cool building that is historically significant.   Their stated purpose is to build a new student health center.  I understand that  universities need to expand, but I also believe there would be several reasonable alternatives to razing [...]

I rarely use the term, “museum-caliber” when describing historic properties.  This house is museum-caliber. In my mind, museum-caliber means several things: exceptional architecture, a large amount original (or early) details, accurate historical information, and perhaps most importantly, the house must feature a lot of early period furniture & decoration to make the house “feel” the [...]

So, this really exists.  An 18th century farmhouse (dating to 1795) that is now a McDonald’s restaurant on Long Island in NY.

This property just drips with historical significance!   Now offered for sale (at just $159,000!) is a log cabin that was constructed in 1790 — just 7 years after the American Revolution.   So it has withstood the test of time and witnessed a lot of history — including, of course, the famous Battle of Gettysburg [...]

Quick — what do all the following things have in common?:  Susan B. Anthony, exotic animals, a U.S. ambassador, 1960s hippies, and Stephen King.  Yep, you guessed it . . . they all have connections to “the Gilbert Mansion,” a unique Victorian home in Hampden, Maine. The history I was able to dig up about [...]

The owner of this house told me that this house was “a preservationist’s dream,” and it’s easy to see why.  Located in a quaint town nestled between the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain, and just a half hour from the super-hip city of Burlington, this Federal style colonial includes some truly impressive original features.  Touted [...]

There is a common misconception that most historic houses are “dark” inside . . . but this listing caught my eye as an example of why that misconception is, well, a misconception.  The “Henry Cherry House,” built 6 years before the U.S. Civil War, is a perfect example of a 19th century house that mixes [...]

Wow!  Here is yet another landmark historic house for sale.  On Wednesday, April 18, at 3:00 p.m., the historic manor home of George Washington’s first biographer, Parson Weems, will be sold at auction.  Located at 14513 General Washington Drive in Woodbridge, Virginia, “Bel Air” is the oldest home in Prince William County, having been constructed [...]