Over the past seven years, we've occasionally pointed to a house in our area and said, "That has windows like ours" but not thought much of it. Usually, we focus more on what's different than what's the same. There isn't a farmhouse around here that doesn't have an addition or five, and that's usually what catches our eye. Plus, our 150-year-old farmhouse is a fairly nondescript brick with Italianate influences, and we figured most houses of the same age just looked similar.
Well a few years back we met a woman who claimed our houses were identical. She lives down a long lane, so it was difficult to see from the road, but she said there were approximately ten houses in the area, all built from the same plans. Ten families got together and split the cost of one set of blueprints. Seeing as how my MIL had also claimed for years that her house was a Sears home (it's not) or many people told me the houses on either side of us were built from the same plans (they weren't), I was skeptical.
Still, today we were driving by and I encouraged my husband to pull up their long drive and ask if we could peek inside. They invited us in, and it was liking stepping back in time! Our home was extensively remodeled in 1970. Theirs hasn't been touched in YEARS. So many questions were answered! Like which openings into our addition were originally windows, and which were doors (it wasn't what we thought), or why during the remodel, the baseboard had been made flush with the plaster (it was original, and not part of the remodel). It also confirmed that the dining room wall was brought into the room a foot to conceal a chimney stack. The only thing is that I wished I'd asked to go upstairs. They kind of mentioned, "Oh, those rooms are the same as downstairs" but I don't think they realized how fascinated we were with everything.
The owner also referred to one of the small rooms over and over as "the birthing room." Has anyone ever heard of this? It's a small, first floor room that's only accessible by walking through a first floor room, or from outside. It certainly sounds like folklore to me (why a room just for childbirth?) but her grandmother and mother had lived in the house, and told her lots of stories about what they used each room for. Still, it seems more likely it would be a pantry, as it would have been also accessible from the summer kitchen.
Now I have an urge to knock on some more doors! Maybe others will also invite us in??
I met my house's twin!
Re: I met my house's twin!
what a treat for you to finally get to visit 'the twin'...hope it allows you to undertake future work that you may want to do to get your place back to its former configuration...
i have worked on a number of houses that have 'birthing' or 'borning' rooms off the kitchen...the 'kitchen' typically consisted of a fireplace that was used for cooking meals...the kitchen is the warmest room in the house and the best place to give birth and for the mom and baby to sleep...
I am copying the first site that came up and, coincidentally, it was built in Billerica, mass where I grew up...http://www.frontdoor.com/photos/birthin ... lmanton-nh
fun.....
...jade
i have worked on a number of houses that have 'birthing' or 'borning' rooms off the kitchen...the 'kitchen' typically consisted of a fireplace that was used for cooking meals...the kitchen is the warmest room in the house and the best place to give birth and for the mom and baby to sleep...
I am copying the first site that came up and, coincidentally, it was built in Billerica, mass where I grew up...http://www.frontdoor.com/photos/birthin ... lmanton-nh
fun.....
...jade
Re: I met my house's twin!
Thanks, Jade! I just figured it was just one of those things people said, like "My house was a stop on the underground railroad," because there was an extra small room in the basement.
Our "birthing room" is now an office, though it is no longer accessible from the parlor. A bookcase was built into the doorway. I had always wondered if the bookcase was hiding a connection between the rooms, but I couldn't figure out why there'd be a small room off a larger one.
Strangely, when our house was renovated, ALL the original trim was removed, (yet the windows were left alone - repaired even.) It was replaced with trim fitting the period, but we always wondered if the original trim was replicated, or if it was a new design. So now I know what the original trim looked like (nothing like ours), but I don't think it will ever be in the budget to replace the original walnut.
Our "birthing room" is now an office, though it is no longer accessible from the parlor. A bookcase was built into the doorway. I had always wondered if the bookcase was hiding a connection between the rooms, but I couldn't figure out why there'd be a small room off a larger one.
Strangely, when our house was renovated, ALL the original trim was removed, (yet the windows were left alone - repaired even.) It was replaced with trim fitting the period, but we always wondered if the original trim was replicated, or if it was a new design. So now I know what the original trim looked like (nothing like ours), but I don't think it will ever be in the budget to replace the original walnut.
Re: I met my house's twin!
Birthing rooms were often also called 'keeping rooms', if I'm not mistaken (probably when it wasn't being used as a birthing room...lol). Herbs were dried, family medicine made, etc etc. Makes sense for the warmest room in the house.
Painting the trim as faux walnut wouldn't be historical suicide, (& would be very affordable), as faux painting techniques were all the rage at different times in history.
clover wrote:So now I know what the original trim looked like (nothing like ours), but I don't think it will ever be in the budget to replace the original walnut.
Painting the trim as faux walnut wouldn't be historical suicide, (& would be very affordable), as faux painting techniques were all the rage at different times in history.