Quite a bit has gotten done around the house here. Tuesday the kids go back to school and I am at home alone. I will tidy up and take a whole slew of "after" photos and do a big "Before and After" post, o.k?
Meanwhile, I spotted this while driving to the beer store yesterday! This house is on our main street and used to have vinyl siding on it. (Like ours...) They have stripped off the vinyl, and the original clading as well....
It is almost identical to our house. They have altered the windows, removed the front porch and even (gasp!) closed in the transom and side lights around the front door. I am pretty sure our front door had these as well, and they are of course gone. Depressing, but fascinating.
They are already starting to cover it up with insulation, so I ran home to get my camera. I'm not allowed to rip the vinyl siding off of my house (Why?), but this gives me hints about our original features.
I hate to think what the final result will be. I'll be sure to get a photo so we can all be depressed together. I suppose I shouldn't assume it will be bad, but I seriously doubt they are planning to replace the windows, build a porch and cover it all with nice wood siding....
Off to tidy....
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6 comments:
Back in the 1950s, the county auditor here photographed each and every house in the county as part of the tax appraisals. It's a great record, and hints as what some of the houses here might look like underneath their various remuddlings. Records like yours, of this, are useful for those intrepid souls who will come along further down the road.
I was actually wrong about the vinyl - it was stucco. How soon we forget!!
Christopher, I wish our county had a photographic record like that. Our local museum recently had an exhibit of photographs c. 1900 taken of our main street. Evidently the photographer traveled around to small towns, taking pictures of each business on the main street and then (hopefully) selling them each a copy! The curator and I got into a discussion about trying to get volunteers to photograph each and every building in Carleton Place next spring before the leaves come out. Better late than never! I checked out both your blogs and am fascinated. I also take "after" photos of country roads and villages, mostly in Bruce County, near Owen Sound, Ontario.
I usually remember to subscribe to the comments so that I know when there's a response. Not always, but usually.
I can't wait to see how that before and after photography project turns out.
My wife and I spent our honeymoon on the Bruce Peninsula. It's beautiful country. I can't wait to see more of your photos.
I thought your house was taller? But anyway, this is super exciting for you to see. Thankfully most of the houses in my neighbourhood are brick and people haven't done much to the outside (except for painting it sometimes, ugh).
And I'm jealous of Christopher, too. I think I'd sell my soul for an old picture of my house.
Our house may be a tiny bit taller, but I don't think so. The white makes it look taller!!
If you sold your soul, you wouldn't care about the photo or your house...
Oh my goodness! You have got to be my house hunting kindred spirit. I have always been in love with anything original and old and sort of run down and your despair at the ruination of this home by vinyl siding is just too much!
My husband and I are -just- starting to entertain the idea of buying an old fixer upper and restoring it and I've been hunting around blogs to see what it's really, actually like. I love yours because you speak my language!
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