Every town has at least one house that looks like it’s stuck in the past. Its stories and secrets are just waiting to be found. That was the story of a famous home built in 1887 that was ignored and fell apart. Jim and Jean Leaman, a retired couple from the area, saw that house as a gem in the rough—a beauty that had been lost but was ready to shine again.
The Leamans were drawn to the house’s Victorian charm because they are interested in history and building. Even though the house was falling apart, they had big plans to fix it up and make it look like it did when it was first built. The couple was eager to bring the old building back to life, even though it would be hard.
The Leamans were met with a scary truth when they walked inside for the first time. The floors had caved in, the roof leaked, and the stained glass windows were dirty and cracked. They didn’t give up, though, and spent the next five years putting all of their time, energy, and resources into the house.
Jim worked on the complicated woodwork, fixing up the hand-carved bannisters and crown mouldings. Jean worked on making design choices that kept the historic charm of the house while adding modern conveniences. Every day brought new problems, but the couple didn’t give up. They were driven by their goal of restoring the whole house.
They got results that were nothing short of amazing. The once-cracked stained glass windows now sparkled with bright colours, leaving patterns of colour on the carefully fixed-up wooden floors. Every room had a story to tell, from the beds with their own unique decor to the cosy office in the attic.
Every part of the Leamans’ house showed how much they cared about the little things. Everything in the house, from the hand-carved furniture to the old light fixtures, had been carefully kept or changed to match the home’s original style. During their repair work, the couple also found some secret gems, such as small writing cut into beams, old trinkets hidden behind walls, and the faint outlines of wallpaper designs that had been forgotten for a long time.
Giving up things to fix up the house wasn’t easy. The couple had spent a lot of time and money on the project during its development. But when they looked at their finished house, they knew that every minute and every dollar had been worth it.
The house stands tall today as a symbol of strength and beauty. People who used to feel sorry for the building’s state now stop to enjoy its beautiful stained glass windows and well-kept grounds. The Leamans not only fixed up a house, but they also saved a bit of history. It will be a live memory that will last for generations.
