Halloween 2016

Happy Halloween. Here’s a Jack O’Lantern of a house for you.

This Ulster County house burned three years ago. Local newspaper articles said it was a multi-family home, “newly renovated” from an 1800s house, and was vacant for a week, or a month depending on which article, when it burned. Needless to add, on that note, the fire was officially regarded as “suspicious.”

I didn’t see anything inside that looked “old house” but likely it was one of those stripped-to-the-studs-complete-rebuild “renovation” jobs that skirts by a hair new home construction permits. Maybe one piece of original wall survives somewhere. Despite its obvious ill-proportioned additions and vinyl siding, the siting and general appearance of the house present an historical contrast with the new McMansions across the street.

A neighbor who saw me getting in my car to leave told me that the house was tied up in litigation but that the surrounding farmland, including on orchard, was for sale. He wondered if I was interested in it or buying it. He’s probably sick of looking at this burned-out modern ruin by now. Even I’d be hard-pressed to look at this particular house every day. Maybe some pumpkins in the windows would spruce it up a bit, at least for the season.

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6 Responses to Halloween 2016

  1. Kathy says:

    Hi What potential this house had. Some pretty country curtains, great rockers on the porch, pumpkins on the railings, the picturesque stone wall, some apple trees in the back and flowing plants all around – would have been my kind of house.
    Mom

  2. Mary Oliansky says:

    I know this house….such a shame. Before it was renovated it was a nice yellow color. I pass it all the time in my travels north….

  3. Jean Sullivan says:

    Yeah, it seems like such a waste. That little corner-shaped jacuzzi under the window.

    I always really enjoy the holiday posts.

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