I just got home from my sister’s brand new OLD house.
It’s kind of a long story–but let’s just say one of my sisters has always wanted to live in an old-fashioned, house in the country. A couple of months ago, her sig. other asked her why she hadn’t yet hung the wrought iron chandelier she inherited from our mother; she said she didn’t have anyplace to put it in her house and had always meant to buy one.
So she did.
One one-hundred-forty-year-old farmhouse and 45 acres later, she now has a place to hang our mom’s black wrought iron chandelier.
The place is amazingly cool…will be incredibly gorgeous (it’s gonna take a whole lot of work but the “bones” of the place are just glorious!) but is also just a wee bit creepy. Walking from the guest house tonight on this very cloudy night, wind whipping the trees, a few lights on in this huge, stark old house, I immediately started churning with ideas for scary movies and books. lol!
One reason for that–the place is so old and almost gothic looking. The other reason–a murder was committed in it 20 years ago. Yes, you read that right, a couple of weeks ago she found out a woman had been murdered in it. Appalling, yes, but you have to understand my sister to know why I had to laugh–not at the murder, but because this particular sister is the ultimate “It could only happen to her!” person.
It did get me thinking, though. I live in a very new, modern house, which I love, but part of me would also love to live in a gorgeous old Victorian (of course, all the renovations would have to be DONE before I walked in…lol…she’s got about a decade’s worth of work ahead of her!) If it were totally finished, I would live in that house, no problem…but I know there are people who wouldn’t because of its history. Just wondering–what about you? Would something like that in the distant past just be too much for you to handle?
Leslie Kelly used to say she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up, but then she discovered Nancy Drew books. Being a flashlight-under-the-covers-nose-in-book reader throughout her childhood, she couldn’t think of anything else she’d rather do as an adult than continue to lose herself in fictional stories. Her real life marriage of 20 years to the man of her dreams is a constant reinforcement that happily-ever-afters really can happen…and that they’re worth writing about. Living in Maryland, Leslie spends her non-writing time laughing a lot with the above-mentioned romance hero and their three daughters. Though an author of more than thirty sexy, contemporary comedies, she has recently branched out to write dark romantic suspense under the pseudonym Leslie Parrish.
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Part of me would love it, but there’s another, more superficial part, that loves modern conveniences, so it’s a toss-up. Can’t I have both? LOL
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This particular sister was born with a sledge-hammer in one hand…lol…I think she’s up for the challenge.
While I manage to electrocute myself while trying to paint my dining room.
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Wouldn’t bother me either, but I would also prefer to have the big renovations done before moving in. I am just so over doing them myself.
Congrats to your sister on her new home. Now you have to work the murder into one of your books.
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I gravitate towards new … or new as done by me, LOL. But as for the other, I’d like to think past is past. But if I knew … probably wouldn’t buy. Superstition. Not realistic thinking though. She’ll LOVE her house!
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Sounds as if your sister bought my dream home. It even comes with a writers retreat.
I love the old farm houses and would not mind living in one and fixing it up. Just think of all the stories those walls could tell if they could talk.
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My mother became very ill and died in the house we now live in, and I have to admit, it took YEARS before I could go into that room again. Even now, I’m still a little creeped out by it. So I can’t imagine living in a house that had a violent past.
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I’ve always wanted to live in a renovated barn. Glad you sister found her dream home. Not sure I could get past living in house where there was a murder, but it would be fun to watch people’s faces as you told them the story. A friend of mine lives in what used to be a funeral home. She and her husband didn’t know when they bought the house, but she loves it. He bedroom is where they displayed the bodies. It is the perfect house for her.
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Why is it that funeral homes always get the best, most gorgeous old houses? I notice that in a lot of small old towns around here.
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That house sounds wonderful…
Let’s just say that I have a toilet that hasn’t worked for about two weeks (husband has yet to fix it) and my middle son lives in a room that is still painted for a tweenie girl (we’ve lived here about five years)…we’re probably not the fixer upper types.
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lol Katie–I still haven’t finished painting the entrance, hall & stairs in my house. Once I electrocuted myself off the metal ladder, the urge to re-color every wall in this house sort of diminished.
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I’m wishing I were your sister right now!
Of course I’d want the house to be in at least good condition but I’m all up for buying an old house in need of TLC. I wish we had the money to buy a large, old house with land and spend the next few years fixing it up. That would be my dream come true.
The murder thing is a bit creepy but I’m very into the paranormal so I’d actually think it was a very cool piece of historic flare.
I wish you had some pictures to share!
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First, I would check county records and talk to the local historical society to see if the murder did actually occur or if it was a tale passed down through generations. If I did find out there was an actual murder I wouldn’t buy the house. It would creep me out. It will be interesting to hear if anything happens while the house is being renovated.
Have a great day,
Cher :fallleaf:
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I do have a couple of pictures just of the exterior, which aren’t very good, but I know I have them around somewhere. Will try to find & post them.
Cher–It is definitely not some old story. My sister has a copy of the article about the murder; the woman was apparently a former presidential secretary to Hubert Humphrey and it was in the Washington Post.
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1238875.html
And the former owner, who bought it from the victim’s husband, came out and mentioned the story yesterday. Aye yiiii yiii!
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Very cool! Not sure if I’d want to live in it though. Keep us posted if any paranormal activity begins after the renovations start.
Cher
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I obviously didn’t mean it was cool that this poor woman had been shot. I just meant the house has a lot of history that may or may not show itself.
Cher
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lol…no worries, Cher, I knew what you meant!
My brother-in-law suggested getting a metal detector. This place was built in 1870 and before that was wide open farmland/fields, and it’s in a really historic Civil War area where you could envision armies camping out en route to/from Gettysburg! Might find some very interesting old stuff there!
We already found a hidden staircase! It was boarded up, and my sister took a crowbar to it right away…
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Awesome! See, I want to have a hidden staircase! Where did it lead to?
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Hidden staircases, a murder, Civil War area…Leslie, you must use this in a book. It’s too much good stuff, girlfriend.
Cher :fallleaf:
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When Lawyer Guy and I came home from the Army, the first house we bought was a 1918 Airplane Bungalow, complete with a friendly ghost. We “moved up” several years later and bought a 1931 Mediterranean-style…I hate to use the word but at 7500 square feet, it was a mansion, sitting on an inner-city acre so the place was a little mini-estate. Should I mention it was spook central? Seriously. It also had mold in the plaster walls and I almost died from living there.
My best friend *has* an historic farm/farmhouse in Gettysburg. She and her siblings inherited it but no one wants it. It’s about to fall down due to neglect and she’s hoping to sell it before it does.
Good luck to Sis! Been there, renovated that, and actually I still love old houses and the stories they tell–fact OR fiction!
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I would love to live in an old Victorian. I guess since my mom and stepdad collect antiques and the current house they live in was built in the early 1900s, its something that I’m used to. I love the character of the old house, and that numerous families have lived there before you. You can sense the history just by looking at the molding that doesn’t match in some rooms, the awkward stairwell, the mysterious window you can see from the outside but doesn’t exist on the inside (this was in my brother’s room). It’s fun to to put a story together and contemplate why they moved the stairs or got rid of a door. Why they changed the bathroom into a closet but left the little door stopper. And why the secret hiding place opens the wrong way so you can’t get into it.
The only modernized part I’d like would be the kitchen. I want a big kitchen with lots of room for the inevitable numerous chefs at family gatherings.
:SmallSanta:
<3 J
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:SmallSanta: The house sounds very interesting but not sure I could live in a house where a murder had occured.
That there could be a Civil War connection would be very interesting if anything is found. There was a time when I would have loved to have an old house to fix up but at this point in my life only if I won the Lottery & I could hire someone to do all the work!! Now my favorite style of house is a Craftsman or California Bungalow, they are so nice with lots of built ins and practical layouts. 
:walksnowman: :bigxmas: :lights: Just because we only have this month to use these Icons!! Thanks!
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I love the character of old homes, the only concern that I would have if I bought one here is whether anyone had installed insulation over the years. A lot of homes were built with insufficient or no insulation here. I would rather not have to do much to any home to make sure its livable – this is a result of growing up with a mother who seemed to enjoy renovating and doing it herself.
As for murder, if I knew about it before buying, then I would look for another house. But if I found out after moving in, I probably wouldn’t let it bother me.
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Hello Leslie!
I want an older Victorian home. After 9 months of remodeling our current home and it’s nowhere close to being done yet I would have to have everything done in it before I would move in. I want a house with a past; great history with a chance it might even have a friendly ghost living there with us! LOL!! I want the winding staircase, pocket doors and great front porch with a swing.
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I love Victorian Homes. I know where I went to college there were a lot of them. I search a website called, http://www.oldhouses.com. These show some of every type of house there is. Of course I can’t afford anything right now.
If the house has a story I wouldn’t mind because it was in the past. But not sure if I want to live in a haunted house.
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That site is my kinda porn! Thanks so much!
I LOVE this listing. I can’t seem to strong arm the hubby into up and moving! That house and that price is awesome. Of course it seems to be in the middle of NO WHERE but I don’t care! :)
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OMG Jessica that house is amazing!!! And $173K? Are you kidding me? Sign me up!!!!!
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That’s what I said!
I’m so sad it’s not easy to up and move. 
Who needs jobs anyway? Money, pfft. 
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Yep i am addicted to this website. I cant remember how i came across it but sure am glad i did.
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I’ve got a couple better…I used to live in a haunted mansion called “The old Moody Estate” it was freaky because out of nowhere you’d smell ladies perfume, hear walking, the rooms would get cold and things would be moved… turns out a woman died there…we got used to it but when the fireplace poker in the bedroom disappeared when we were in the room and found it later on downstairs 4 rooms down…well…lets say I wasn’t so excited to live there any more…
story two….when hubby was growing up and was going home on the bus they passed a house with a garage… the garage doors were open and some old lady was hanging from the rafters. She had commited suicide…. he was about 7 at the time….worst part???? His family ended up buying the house and that’s where he grew up… yuck yuck yuck….and even worse…when the garage got torn down about 7 years ago he brought the wood home from it and built a garden shed for me outta the wood….needless to say….it’s become his garden shed cause I won’t step one foot in there!
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That’s super weird!
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lol…still sounds very cool Diana!
But hubby’s childhood experience…
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Hey Les, that is so awesome. I would totally live in an old Victorian; these houses have the best libraries. I hope to own one at some point in my life, but I need to win the lotto first, or marry some rich guy or something. Owning and living in an old Queen is my ultimate dream. They usually have the roaring fireplaces too; if only I could.
When you wrote your description, I could just imagine your author’s mind, a la Leslie Parrish, churning out ideas.
I missed you guys. My friend’s son is doing much better, btw. He moved onto the recovery ward last week after spending almost 2 weeks in the ICU. He had some surgery done yesterday to help drain his lungs. He had the most difficult time taking deep breaths. Guys, please take care of yourself and your kids. He had a rabid case of Strep A. Very volatile. I am just glad that he is doing better. He really came back from death’s door.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
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I like the more modern houses I grew up in an old house and hated it I’m not much for fixing things myself. I think I could live in a house where someone died if it was years ago then again probably not every little sound would probably scare me to death.
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Oh my goodness, too funny!!! Leslie, I always enjoy your blog and was delighted to hear that I was part of this one! Yikes, I do have lots of work to do, but I’m looking forward to bringing this old, abandoned house back to life! I’ll never forget the first time I drove up the long, overgrown gravel driveway, and there it stood. Finally, a place to hang mom’s black wrought iron chandelier. If by chance I’m visited by old ghosts from the past, please God let one of them be her and I’ll be forever grateful!