Which old houses are worth saving? And how far should we go to save them? Two Fort Collins’ bloggers are now starting to explore these questions: One using research and one using very big trucks.
Research
Terrence Hoaglund, an architect and board member on the Landmarks Preservation Commission, will document Fort Collins homes from 1960s to present. He’s trying to help answer the question, “What’s worth saving?” when it comes to mid-century and later architecture.
Does everything over 50 years old deserve historic designation? Even if there are a hundred more just like it?
Here’s the first post in the series, Interesting Historic Dilemma.
Big trucks
Jim Burrill plans to move this historic farmhouse from north Loveland to a property in Old Town, Fort Collins. I think it’s going right up College Avenue–a guaranteed spectacle. Follow the move here as Jim wrangles with preservation committees, movers, and others.
And while you’re there, take a look around at his family photographs. His kin have been in Fort Collins a very long time.
Some houses are not worth saving the day they were built; the house I removed in December and January was that way. The materials used in the house were poor and there was no sheathing used, the thin lap siding was nailed directly onto the studs. The studs themselves were of poor quality, even though they were rough cut native lumber, they had a lot of knots that made them weak. The floor boards were also weak, sure you could cover what was there with plywood but you’d always have that poor stuff underneath.
My perspective is that some common sense needs to be taken in historic preservation, no matter what the subject of preservation is. If you have to invest twice what the subject is worth to preserve it, then it may not worth preserving.
The old Garfield house not only is appealing to view but it is built very solid. When it’s finished, it will be worth twice what’s invested and the materials used in it’s structure seem to be very good. If we can get it moved the 11 miles it will make a good addition to the other historic structures on the place.
Cat, thanks for your kind comments of support. I’m hoping to start making some progress soon.