Four Years of Restoring Great-Great-Grandpa’s Farmhouse
It takes something special to make a house feel like a home. This happens when we share experiences of love, joy, sadness, and even just everyday moments together with our loved ones.
Peter’s great-great-grandfather built this farmhouse in the 1860s. It has been home to his family for generations. When his grandfather passed away in 1977, the house sat empty.
The house took many years to build, as Peter discovered from his great-great-grandfather’s diary. From the 1860s to the 1870s, his ancestors worked hard to lay the foundation of this house.
Through the diary, Peter learned that his great-great-grandfather himself brought the lime to build the house’s foundation.
His great-grandmother and grandfather were born and raised in this house.
When his grandfather died, Peter inherited the house and land, but it was in bad shape. The officials valued it at only $45,000.
Peter decided to move back to Lansing, New York, in 1996 with his wife, Hilarie. They wanted to restore the old family home and create new memories.
It was a big job. The house needed a lot of repairs. Some neighbors suggested tearing it down and building a new one, but Peter wanted to preserve its history and meaning.
With Hilarie’s support, they lived in a trailer on the property while they worked on the house.
Peter had some construction knowledge from school and being an architect, but most of the work was learned as they went along.
The first task was tearing down the old kitchen wing, which was beyond repair due to a fallen tree.
Inside, they found rotting beams and floors. The house’s foundation had also deteriorated over time.
They repaired the foundation and then tackled the interior renovations themselves, without heavy machinery or lots of workers.
It took them over four years to finish, but the result was impressive. They also restored the farmland and started farming full-time.
Restoring the home changed their lives for the better, and they have no regrets.
