Another Return
In the dining room of the Cross House, on the north wall, a corner block had gone missing.
The area was a mess. Radiator pipes buried in the exterior wall had burst at some point, and damaged the plaster and Lincrusta. Had the wood block been removed at that point?
It the the only trim missing in the room.
I never found it in the basement Aladdin’s cave. It was also unique to the room; no other blocks in the house matched it.
This curiosity nagged at me for seven years: WHAT had happened to the wood corner block?
Recently, I got a text from Bob, the previous owner. He had been cleaning up and found something which, on the back, was scribbled: Dining Room.
He asked: Do you know what this is?
Why, yes. Yes, I knew just what it was. Thanks, Bob!!!!!!!!
And, once again, while there is so much crazy in the world, in a very tiny way, in a small town in Kansas, something is better.
I will never fail to find wonderment in this. And delight in it.
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Honestly, the amount that people have simply saved stuff out of your house and squirreled it away, to me, is absolutely STAGGERING. I just pulled several doors off the curb and brought them to a local architectural salvage, because they were slated for the garbage pickup. I wish someone had just shoved them in the attic. The basement of a house up in my collegetown that I am renting next year has unpainted woodwork, original windows and the best part- the original pocket doors hidden in the basement. I really want to just buy it off the dumb landlords.
Real estate prices are really high now but I suppose it would depend on the state of repairs and maintenance on the house and if the owners might want to wash their hands of it. If you can swing it, make them an offer. It couldn’t hurt to try.
Has anyone tracked down the owner of the Altoona house and made them an offer?
I removed a door between the dining room and my zigzag hallway. It is in the rafters of the garage along with any bit of molding I removed when the new built in cabinets went in in the dining room and the living room. I didn’t throw away anything. I even kept old hinges and even small screws. The bent nails I did toss. But anything that worked or was repairable was cleaned up and put right back. I even opened all of the windows and replaced all of the sash cords using the original weights that were still in the pockets. Only windows I can’t get at are in the “library” as they put in wainscoting with trim that overlaps the window trim and I can’t get it off without removing a lot of trim. The only way to get at the pockets is to remove all of the trim and I’m just not prepared to do that. So far every remedy for the broken cords is pretty much a failure so the windows stay closed. Too bad as if I could open both I could get a fabulous cross breeze with the door open.
WHAT? You threw away the bent nails?
Actually, I’m with you, but an elderly acquaintance, child of the Depression, maintained a bucket of bent ones salvaged from a demo and painstakingly straightened them for re-use when he needed them. Depression mantra: “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without.”
Internet look-up of “adjustable window prop stick” will yield DIY or purpose-made solutions for broken window cords.
Not all of them. I actually did pound straight a few when I ran short or if it was a size I didn’t have. Mostly small finish nails for replacing trim pieces.
But yeah, some of the bent ones were tossed as well as bent screws. But I did save an awful lot of hardware, along with the screws, nuts washers and assorted other bits and pieces. And everyone once in a while I got into that jar and dig out something that fits perfectly.
That doesn’t really solve the problem of opening in heavy window when the counterweight is no longer doing it’s job. I still haven’t decided if I am going to try cutting a pocket I can fish the cords through rather than removing the trim. Wish they already had the little access panel but they don’t. I would really like my sash weights and cords back functioning as intended.
I could try but truthfully it’s owned by a national LLC group and it’s unlikey the poor property will ever cease to be a rental in the near future. I have put serious thought into contacting them about a purchase after I graduate, though. The market is chronically undervalued here so it is possible I could come out of it with the house. Regardless, you guys can look forward to my old house blog in 10-30 years 😀
You are so lucky that Bob kept that stuff, labeled it even, and that as he finds them he calls you to return them.
I will never stop being grateful to Bob Rodak for his part in saving the house. That house would likely be gone, like so many Emporia gems, if he hadn’t intervened when he did.
I’ve kept every SQUARE nail I’ve had to pull, and carefully straightened them by using a hammer oon my husband’s anvil. It’s easy, and ever so satisfying. I’ve reused them all here in the house. It makes me smile.
Bob Rodak is a saint! I agree, if Bob didn’t start to save the Cross house it would be gone. Thank you both.
I’m not sure which is more amazing: With everything the Cross House has been through over the years there isn’t more original detail missing or that the things that are missing are slowly finding their way back home. Clearly with each incarnation of the Cross House those involved knew just how special the house was and wanted to preserve it. I’m equally impressed that you and Bob have remained in touch so that any other bits and pieces that turn up can be returned.
I’m curious if you’ve created a list of everything that is considered missing from the house. Giving Bob a list might allow him to do a hard target search for the items or jog a memory about them. I remain hopeful that missing Yale & Town Austerlitz sash pulls that are missing are found and returned. The missing hardware has me curious about the front door bell. Would it have been wired to the “ring box” that you plan on restoring to the kitchen or would it have had it’s own seperate bell? And would the button at the door been an Austerlitz button or a Kelp button?
With each missing item returned to it’s proper place the house seems to get a bit happier and brighter.
What wonderous news after the kitty. 🙂
That is amazing, Bob is the hero of the day. It’s really wonderful that so many pieces find their way back to the Cross House and you Ross.
I still have hopes that the neon hotel sign is floating around out there and will make its way back too.
Hi, Stewart!
In talking with the Mouse family, it seems that the sign was sent to the dump a few decades ago. It had been stored behind their barn.
Sigh.
Just because it was sent to the dump doesn’t mean it got there or remained there. There are those that go to the dump and bring back more than they took. My Dad used to do that, even though my Mother would berate him about the head and shoulders every time he did it.
Bravo Bob for finding and returning the corner block! Bravo Ross for knowing where the corner block is located! The Cross House has such strong energy that it somehow keeps its parts.
Bravo Bob Rodak & bravo Ross!
Cross House is the gem it is by Bob intervening when he did & Ross taking it to a whole other level!