Source » Mimi Styles, April 2007

I was contacted by Robert Allnutt, who told me that he and his mother lived in the house along with his grandmother during World War II, when his father was in Europe. He said his grandmother had purchased the house in 1933. After the war, his parents purchased a house on Grove Avenue, where he grew up.

Many years ago, I was told by a passerby that someone was electrocuted (mortally) in the house, during a thunderstorm. Another passerby told me that for a time the house was without running water and the resident could be observed regularly "fetching water."

In 2004/2005 the house was substantially renovated. The kitchen addition (possibly dating from the 1930s?) was in poor structural condition, and was demolished. In its place, a new kitchen addition was built, on approximately the same footprint -- but angled just slightly from the main house -- because of the property line constraints. A basement was dug out to house utilities (the original kitchen was built over a crawl space, as is the original house). A bedroom and bath were added over the kitchen. First and second story screened porches were also included as part of the renovation. The asphalt shingles were removed and replaced with wood siding. A variety of old windows and old doors were used in the addition. My goal was that the addition appear as if were original.

We discovered two windows facing Center Street, which has been covered by siding and shutters. Similarly, an exterior door on the side porch nearest Center Street had been hidden under the asphalt siding. This door has once again become a functional entrance.