The ancestral home. This Greek Revival cape with later alterations was originally the home of Lewis and Susan Hanson, my great great great grandparents. After their time, it was home to other families until 1946. My grandparents Lewis and Ruth Hanson bought it then and my father grew up there. It was sold out of the family again when I was an infant.
Architecturally, it is not an outstanding house. It is a nice example of a rural Greek Revival cape. The Mansard roof on the ell indicates the house was expanded around the time of the Civil War. Historic photos show the front porch once extended the full width of the house and wrapped around the corner, maybe added around the same time as the Mansard. The shed dormer on the front is likely a somewhat later alteration. The enclosure of the side porch happened in recent decades.
While not particularly significant architecturally, the house is a wonderful example of how historic houses are adapted over time to suit the needs of different generations, hopefully in ways that don’t destroy the character of the house.
“Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners” explores how to identify alterations that happened over time.
The 720 page award-winning and best-selling hardcover book is available in bookstores and from online retailers.
Signed and personalized copies are available directly from the author in the shop on this page, https://yourhistorichouse.com/shop/.
Bookstores can order copies from W.W. Norton.
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