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Welcome to The Adirondack Room
Welcome to The Adirondack Room
As some of you may know, I like to talk. As the notion of buying this house started becoming a reality, whenever anyone asked, "How are you?" they were unfortunately subjected to all my fears and doubts about this endeavor. (My apologies... and writing about that in the past tense was/is dumb. Currently, people should just avoid asking.) One of the largest concerns and mysteries has been "The Adirondack Room."
As some of you may know, I like to talk. As the notion of buying this house started becoming a reality, whenever anyone asked, "How are you?" they were unfortunately subjected to all my fears and doubts about this endeavor. (My apologies... and writing about that in the past tense was/is dumb. Currently, people should just avoid asking.) One of the largest concerns and mysteries has been "The Adirondack Room."
Looking at or walking into this room two things happen sort of simultaneously:
Looking at or walking into this room two things happen sort of simultaneously:
*First you are awestruck, because it's pretty cool. The wooden floorboards are 24 inches wide. There are large wooden pegs sticking out in various spots around the room. The wall planks and beams are clearly over a hundred years old and JUST COOL. The brick work around the fireplace is neat, there's a cut out for firewood. The room oozes warmth and wonder.
*First you are awestruck, because it's pretty cool. The wooden floorboards are 24 inches wide. There are large wooden pegs sticking out in various spots around the room. The wall planks and beams are clearly over a hundred years old and JUST COOL. The brick work around the fireplace is neat, there's a cut out for firewood. The room oozes warmth and wonder.
*Second, you are saying, "What the heck IS this room?" I can see OUTSIDE through the wall...there is NO insulation. What are the pegs for? It's just sort of stuck on the end of the house between the kitchen and the mudroom...what happens here? What happened here? Hmmmmmmmm.....
*Second, you are saying, "What the heck IS this room?" I can see OUTSIDE through the wall...there is NO insulation. What are the pegs for? It's just sort of stuck on the end of the house between the kitchen and the mudroom...what happens here? What happened here? Hmmmmmmmm.....
Check out that old wooden roof that was revealed when the shingles were removed...there are HOLES. We love those. They remind me of donuts...and spending more money.
View from the front of the house.
Did I mention I talk a lot? To everyone? Well, one day Bill and I came home to a message on our answering machine. It was the architect who remodeled this home some 30 years ago! He and his wife heard from someone who heard me gib-gabbering on about this old house I was buying and were DELIGHTED to hear someone was finally buying the place and fixing it up. He asked if I had any questions about the place...BOY DID I EVER!!
Did I mention I talk a lot? To everyone? Well, one day Bill and I came home to a message on our answering machine. It was the architect who remodeled this home some 30 years ago! He and his wife heard from someone who heard me gib-gabbering on about this old house I was buying and were DELIGHTED to hear someone was finally buying the place and fixing it up. He asked if I had any questions about the place...BOY DID I EVER!!
It's unfortunate that I'm one of those people who thinks of all the good questions four or five hours after the fact, but this wonderful man DID tell us about The Adirondack Room. He asked me if I had found the old foundation off by the creek (see below, because, YES, we had, and Finn was SURE it was an army bunker of some kind).
It's unfortunate that I'm one of those people who thinks of all the good questions four or five hours after the fact, but this wonderful man DID tell us about The Adirondack Room. He asked me if I had found the old foundation off by the creek (see below, because, YES, we had, and Finn was SURE it was an army bunker of some kind).
The architect (that is what I am going to call him because I don't know if he wants to be mentioned by name) informed me that in the very early 1800's the room was a summer kitchen. Some time later in the 1800's it was MOVED, in it's entirety, to the farmhouse and the owner, a H.B. Crippen, who was a Justice of the Peace, also made butter firkins there!!! (I'm guessing that's what all those pegs are for!) I have a call into the Lebanon Valley Historical Society to do some research on the property and original owner because all this is just SO. DARN. INTERESTING. I love history.
The architect (that is what I am going to call him because I don't know if he wants to be mentioned by name) informed me that in the very early 1800's the room was a summer kitchen. Some time later in the 1800's it was MOVED, in it's entirety, to the farmhouse and the owner, a H.B. Crippen, who was a Justice of the Peace, also made butter firkins there!!! (I'm guessing that's what all those pegs are for!) I have a call into the Lebanon Valley Historical Society to do some research on the property and original owner because all this is just SO. DARN. INTERESTING. I love history.
If you look dead center of the tops of E and W of NEW you will see "H.B. Crippin." If you move your eyes south a touch there's a dark rectangle within a right angle looking shape - that's the school house that is on the corner of our road. I will be searching up more historical maps...the nerd in me was so happy to find this one online.
So, do we know a lot? No. The architect loved that room so much he and wife did nearly nothing to it, so as to preserve it and keep it as close to it's original state as possible. Bill and I, however, need to afford our heating bills, so we will be brainstorming other options. Our wonderful contractor and the town code and zoning officer are going to help us preserve the historical elements as much as possible, while making it a bit more energy efficient. (I'm keeping the 24 inch wooden floorboards, don't worry.)
So, do we know a lot? No. The architect loved that room so much he and wife did nearly nothing to it, so as to preserve it and keep it as close to it's original state as possible. Bill and I, however, need to afford our heating bills, so we will be brainstorming other options. Our wonderful contractor and the town code and zoning officer are going to help us preserve the historical elements as much as possible, while making it a bit more energy efficient. (I'm keeping the 24 inch wooden floorboards, don't worry.)
View from the side of the house.
Does The Adirondack Room stress me out? Yes. Yes it does. It won't be the most expensive part of the reno. The WHOLE new roof has been pretty costly. The new boiler, pipes throughout the ENTIRE ginormous dwelling are costing a pretty penny. So, yeah...it stresses me out. But, you know what? That room is going to be AUH-MAZING when there's a crackling fire and I am writing the follow up post next winter from a cozy (second hand, crappy-because-we-won't-have-any-money-left) chair. YEET !
Does The Adirondack Room stress me out? Yes. Yes it does. It won't be the most expensive part of the reno. The WHOLE new roof has been pretty costly. The new boiler, pipes throughout the ENTIRE ginormous dwelling are costing a pretty penny. So, yeah...it stresses me out. But, you know what? That room is going to be AUH-MAZING when there's a crackling fire and I am writing the follow up post next winter from a cozy (second hand, crappy-because-we-won't-have-any-money-left) chair. YEET !
(Those of you with young children will understand that last expletive. For the rest of you, be glad you've never had to listen to your nine year old shout it four hundred times because he beat the next level of whatever useless game you let him download on his kindle.)
(Those of you with young children will understand that last expletive. For the rest of you, be glad you've never had to listen to your nine year old shout it four hundred times because he beat the next level of whatever useless game you let him download on his kindle.)
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