This Old House

Once upon a time, long, long ago, I was a Civil War widow....If you look at the older posts, you will be able to read about it....Actually, I was a Civil War Reinactment photographer...went on to have a gallery - "Widow Weeds" (the grieving attire of a Civil War widow). I came across this the other day, and thought it would be an appropriate photo to accompany the ones of a house in Louisiana that I was involved in restoring.

This house was built on a hill in a tiny town called Washington, Louisiana in 1830. It was built by a sea captain -de la Morandiare. The floors are hand-hewn planks, such as those used in ship building at the time, and the trim under the eaves is a "wave" pattern. This photo was taken in the 1920's. It had fallen into hands that didn't love it...in fact, painted the trim pink...poor house.

My clients live in Wisconsin, but bought the house and asked me to come to Washington and help with the restoration process.....I had a wonderful time, and found out the tiny town is chock a block full of fantastic antique stores...one of which brings over containers full of wonderful armoires.

The rotting porches were replaced with new, cypress planks (termites hate cypress), new plantation shutters were added, a new kitchen was built. Homes of that era, especially in the South, had kitchens that were separate from the main house...mainly because of the heat generated. Finally, painted and lovingly restored, my clients sold the home. Sad that they didn't keep it..

I wish I had bought it...sigh....