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I’m glad I had a chance to enjoy the warm weather while it was here, because winter is now back. We have snow and freezing rain tonight, and it is supposed to continue tomorrow. Well, it was nice while it lasted.
After reading about the Old House Expo in Kalamazoo, I got to wondering if there were any other old house expos or fairs around, and I found another one. This one is in San Diego, a little warmer than Kalamazoo, and just to make sure they have it in June. This one is called The Old House Fair, and they had the 11th annual Old House Fair in 2009. The Old House Fair centers around an entire neighborhood in San Diego, named South Park. The neighborhood and some of the old houses have undergone an entire renovation over the past 22 years. The houses appear to have been built in the early 1900’s, and the fair includes a tour of the homes. There are also outdoor craft displays, and it sounds live a festival type setting. San Diego in June is a little more of a festival setting than Kalamazoo in January, but they both sound like they would be interesting, and a good time.
I also happened upon 2 interesting stories on old houses undergoing restoration. A couple is finishing up the restoration of an old house in Des Moines, the third old house they have restored. They were using it as their home and offices during the restoration, but have since moved their offices to another location. The old house was built in 1924, and the other 2 they restored were built about the same time. From the pictures it appears they spent a small fortune, including murals of Italian scenes such as the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
The other old house is at the beginning stages of the restoration process. The old house is in Dearborn, and was constructed in 1890. It was the first home in Dearborn with interior plumbing. Three additions were added by 1912, including a bell tower without a bell. No one seems to know why the bell tower was added, but now that I have read about it, I wish my house had a bell tower. The couple who purchased the home look like they are fairly young, and I’m sure they are going to have a good time with the restoration. The old house looks like the type of home that would be great for a young family to grow into, as their family enlarges. It also looks like a home that will be ideal for family holiday gatherings.
