Strange but True

It was a quick decision when we decided to take on the restoration of this house. So many things have been happening this year for Josh and Chelsea. They were married and recently became parents, but this house called out to us (at least to Chelsea and I). When we lived at 327 S Garfield which is only a block away, Chelsea and I often commented on how distressing it was to see a house with this amount of architectual detail in such a state of deterioration.

We come from a family that has always been interested in fixing up houses. Though not originally from Burlington, my parents along with a couple of his siblings lived in Burlington in the early fifties but later they all moved back down to Lee County where I grew up.

I was happy to get a phone call late one night a couple of weeks ago from my Uncle Frank Bideaux, he had been married to my dad's sister who is now deseased, as are my parents.
Frank said he saw the article about our purchase of the house in the newspaper and wanted us to know that he and my Aunt Marie had once owned that house! He said that he had laid the hardwood floors, remembered painting the house, and had installed a new boiler. He also said he had a picture of the house which he later sent to me. They owned the house around 1950 for 2-3 years. Knowing how my aunts and uncles helped each other on projects I can imagine that my father may have helped on the floors. Also knowing how close they all were, I'm sure they spent many evenings visiting in the front room. I see that same closeness in my children who are now about the same age as my father and his siblings were at that time.

We all hope to have many good memories to share in this house.

Becky