Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The Story of a Lady Part II

I felt like a child being let into Santa's workshop when Mr. Hass turned the key and opened the front door of  the old house on Walloon Lake.


I can't tell you how many times I had stood at that window with my hands cupped to the side of my head, nose pressed against the glass, trying to see inside.  Directly across from the door, as we entered was this.




You can begin to see the "stuff" that was in there.  I remember reaching out and touching that banister like it was a mirage.  That staircase is such a beauty.


This fireplace was in, what I call parlor # 1, to the left of the stairway.  Mr. Hass told me he remembered, as a boy,  his mother buying the tapestry over the mantle from a traveling vendor.  If the house was built in 1907, I guess that may be in 19 teens to 1920 ish.


On the left side of the stairs,, was  parlor # 1, the kitchen, which had been gutted, and this dining room. 
I was in awe.  I wanted to go through boxes and touch things.   I was mesmerized by the ceiling.

I don't know what the salmon colored squares are.  I couldn't get that close.  There was so much stuff between me and them, but that woodwork was beautiful.  All I could think was it needs to be oiled and polished and loved.

To the right of the staircase was parlor # 2.


There was so much junk stored among the treasures that I doubt the family even knew what was there.



Next time we will go up that wonderful staircase and see what lies between the front stairs....


and the back stairs.

8 comments:

mary said...

You have an eye for character. This house has it. Don't you wonder about the lives of those that used the stairs-both the elegant front and the private back stairs? It might be worth while sitting down with Mr. Hass for a while to learn some interesting stories about each room.

Where I live everything is suburban "70s modern". Nothing with character like this.

Just Stuff From a Boomer said...

Unfortunately, Mr Hass was in his 70's then ( in the 1980s) and has been gone for many years. I never got a chance to talk with him again. We lived 3 1/2 hours south so we didn't get up there very often.

Intense Guy said...

Goodness... you can always tell a house of character by its staircase. I love the dark ornate wood!

What is with all that stuff?? Were they moving out? was the house being used as a storage unit?

The backstairs were often used by the help... I like how the bottom step shows the worn tread - how many feet did it take to do that?

Kathy said...

Oh, wow! What a house that must have been in its day! Two parlors!!! It's a shame it just sat there storing "stuff".

Unknown said...

That's a house with personality! I can imagine how much class the house the house has. The windows and the wood looks so rich!

Laura said...

That house must have such history. Oh, the stories it could tell. Beautiful...

Feisty Crone said...

The back stairs reminds me of my grandfather's house in upstate New York. Scared the heck out of me when I was a kid--I always felt hemmed in, the stairway was dark, etc. Wish I could walk those stairs again. What a great house.

Far Side of Fifty said...

beautiful..that staircase is just wonderful! :)

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