Sunday, June 16, 2019

Crime in the Night

For a few years I served on my small town’s historical commission, a fancy name for a group of people who, as far as I could tell, had little power and an even smaller agenda.
About all we seemed to do was pay an outside person to catalogue the older homes in town.

          And we have some old ones, several from the 1700’s. In fact, one of My Guy’s childhood friends grew up in a house that even had a hidden cupboard for residents to hide from local Indians.

          Our Main Street is punctuated with big white frame houses, some with plaques proclaiming their age. Unfortunately, years ago the town was asked to vote on whether to establish a historical district, but it fell through, probably thanks to anti-government types who feared The Man coming in and dictating house colors or lawn ornaments. I also suspect that the majority of those voters lived safely removed in the town’s newer house developments, full of capes, ranches, and a number of McMansions.

          One of my favorite houses sits on a corner of Main Street, encircled by the town’s only old-school iron fence. It was built in 1800, over 200 years ago, with a fieldstone foundation, sitting on almost two acres. 


         
 

 My Guy even used it as a backdrop for one of his paintings.








          And now it’s gone.

          The new owner reportedly knocked it down, along with a few trees, in the dark of night to avoid hassles with those annoying historical types and caring neighbors.

15 comments:

  1. How sad! I wish it had been preserved. Love that painting, BTW. :-)

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  2. Hiss and spit. And echoing DJan about the painting (a talent which fills me with awe and a smidge of envy).

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  3. PS: I hope he paid extra (a lot extra) to employ a dark (literal and metaphorical) demolition team.

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  4. It's gone??? but it was so beautiful, except for the kitchen. I hope he doesn't put up a block of ugly flats in its place.

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    1. Word is, three houses will be built in its place. Probably all "open concept" with granite countertops and no soul.

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  5. Just criminal. Glad you got before pictures and love the painting. Rather Norman Rockwell esque.

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  6. I live in a house almost like that, built in 1790. We have spent 40+ years keeping it as much as it was supposed to be as we could. Now and then you make concessions (running water, inside bathrooms, etc.) but the main rule is, don't.

    What an utter pig that man is. and I love the kitchen, with the bake oven. I saw that last line, and I wept. Damn all, he could have sold it to someone who wanted it.

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  7. Oh, how sad to demolish such a beautiful place. I love old houses.

    Love,
    Janie

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  8. That's a heck of a way for a new owner to arrive in town -- inspiring hatred in ALL the neighbors! I don't get why someone would buy a historic house if they're not interested in the history. What is wrong with people?

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    1. When you have a chance to make $$$ (and this was a three in place of one thing) to hell with all that old stuff, just sell off the boards and the antique fixtures, and take it down. Yes indeedy.

      I think the new people who move into those nice new houses are going to have some problems with their neighbors, poor souls it isn't their fault, but it will somehow have worked out to be.

      Damn. Deep breaths, Marty. Deep breaths.

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