Before & After ~ Finding Hidden Treasure. I spotted this project underway in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans in 2023. It is an excellent example of how past alterations often hide important character-defining features under modern finishes -waiting to be rediscovered and restored. I got the photo of the nearly completed project when I was there last year.
The image on the left is from Google Streetview and shows the house before selective demo exposed what remained hidden – essentially the entire historic double gallery (porch) with turned, scroll-cut, and stick and bead trim elements. Other than the second-story railing, it was all still there, including the wonderful brackets supporting the gallery roof.
How to analyze changes to a house over time for clues to what might be hidden is covered in Chapters 2 and 3 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.” Chapter 6 addresses selective demolition and how to uncover hidden historic elements without destroying them.
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling hardcover book are available from the author in our shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors. Save with our multi-book combo packs!
“Restoring Your Historic House is also available in bookstores nationwide and from online retailers.
© Scott T. Hanson 2026.
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