Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

My first wife and I bought this 25a farm in 1970, we did some remodeling to the old six room house and moved in the summer of 1971 with our three daughters and Missy the Pitbull. I continued to work in St.Louis until April of 1972. I got a job at Brown Shoe factory in the maintenance dept., it was an interesting job Worked on machines I had never seen in my life, learned how to run a lathe and milling machine making & repairing parts and jigs for special operations on the machines.
After seven years of making just enough money to live I returned to work in St.louis and going home on weekends
until we could find a place to live.
About the house and farm: The first part of the house was built around 1920-22 on a 640a land grant the second half was built in 1937 when the owners son got married and needed a place to live.
The house didn't have a square corner anywhere in it nor an even wall, ceiling or floor, the studs were not on centers nor were the rafters and floor joist all the lumber was rough sawn oak (really fun to drive a nail into) the outside was covered with a tear drop lap siding applied directly on the studs ( no sheathing)and no insulation.
The Summer before we moved I removed the siding and replace with Cell-O-tex fiber board and 4X8 sheets of Masonite prime siding, I never got around to finishing the job, I should the place in 1991 or 92. The new owner lived in the house for about 6 yrs and then built a new house closer to the road, At this time it is occupied by his sister in law.
I am amazed the place is still standing . I took these shots the day before my surgery

The bump-out on the right was originally the bedroom door and landing.

(Download)

The room on the left was the bathroom that my father in-law and I built

(Download)

no12mo

I like old houses. I live in a 200 yr old one. Nothing is standard in it but it's solid

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

We have had a weekend place in Fish Lake, IN for 62 years. Built of knotty pine by a man in 1946. No insulation, hot water, or shower - but it is heaven to me. What makes a place great is how you feel there

no12mo

I was amazed at how well this house was insulated. 2 years after we moved in we had a close call with hurricane Gloria. It took down the power lines in front of your house. Couldn't hear a thing until a door was opened and then it was like stepping into a wind tunnel on steroids. No creaking of the house and no really noticable wind sound.

It was very well insulated and the 4 x 4 beams just didn't want to move.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Thanks for sharing the photos and the story, Frank. Love the detail that can be seen in the downloads.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Thank you very much Joe

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Nice images, Frank. Old houses are great to photograph.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Thank you very much Ken

SonyBug

That old oak lasts forever!

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

Interesting story Frank.

tmehrkam Loc: Houston,Tx

My grandfathers house is a lot like that.

My grandfather was the Damn Yankee in the family. He met my grandmother at the rail station in a nearby town. He was in the Calvary traveling to San Antonio for training. Fought in Cuba.

After his service he came back and married my grandma. My great grandfather gave them some land with an old stage stop on it. That is where they started out. This is 150 acres in Waller TX.

Later they built the current house. It is a small story and a half built of rough sawed oak. Nails were cheap at least they used plenty of them. I helped with a couple of remodels and no way you could remove a board with our destroying it.

Raised 8 kids in that four bedroom house. At the end of the WWII my dad wired the house a trade he learned in the CC camps. My uncle added plumbing a few years later when the well pump was added.

The old stage station was used by share croppers and later hay storage until it fell down.

I live on the place in a different house moved from Houston built in 1945. My uncle lives in the old farm house. I will have to get some photos of the old house for posting. I have some historical ones and need to take some current ones.

If you look real hard you can still see where the Stage Line ran.

jederick Loc: Northern Utah

Haunting memories from the look of the photos, Frank...gives them great appeal!! Like how you processed these!!

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Thank you very much Elliott

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Thank you very much Jim

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Will be great to see your images of the old family place.
I started trying to escape the city when I was 17 yrs old, I was 32yrs. old when I made it, it lasted 7+ yrs, when I had to move closer to the city, I lived about 25 miles outside of St.Louis, Mo. until 2018, I'M now 80 miles out of St.Louis and I'll live out the rest of my life here.