Those of you who have constructed a house from scratch must be looking at our renovation like it’s peanuts. And, in many ways, it is. We weren’t starting with talks with an architect or even inspecting an undeveloped site beforehand. No, that must be truly thrilling. There’d be none of the frustration of trying to retrofit your dream into what others had done before you, either.
For the record, we did look seriously at a couple of undeveloped sites in town and played with the challenges, but they were beyond our means, leaving us to always lament the spectacular views that others now enjoy while also wondering how we would have managed the timing.
Still, to be fully honest, I have to say what’s unfolded before us is truly exciting, at least from our end. That kinda brings me back to that adage about writing about what you know, or at least what you find most fascinating at the moment.
But it’s also humbling. Just consider how much of daily existence we take for granted, at least in the so-called developed world.
The Isaac Hobbs mansion, off to the far corner of our block, is undergoing a thorough restoration. Half of it was about to cave in when we bought our property, but that’s no longer the case. The new owner wants to be historically accurate, as far as possible. In contrast, we want ours to be more livable. Besides, most of the period detail was ripped out decades ago.
A further block up the street, a more spectacular upgrade is being given to the circa 1807 federal house Aaron Hayden built and General Samuel D. Leavitt transformed into mansard mansion in the 1880s. It had fallen into foreclosure before its bold new owners came to town on the heels of Covid.
Leavitt was also Eastport’s first mayor.
Reader, beware, if you must.
Jnana's Red Barn 