Can Santa see the Cross House from the North Pole?
For the holiday season I created a three-story Christmas “tree” at the Cross House. To repeat: three-stories high. It is BIG. And it makes me smile. I wanted to do something for my first holiday season in the Cross House. But what? The house is so huge and the possibilities are endless. Obviously,…
Continue ReadingCan I Paint Today? Can I? Can I, Please?
Here in Kansas it is possible to paint the exterior of your house all through to the end of December. CAVEAT: just not every day. It becomes kinda hit or miss these two months. Once I had 70 degree weather between Christmas and New Years. So, I removed the exterior wall in my kitchen — sure,…
Continue ReadingFavorite Houses: 702 West Street
I see dead people. This is, of course, the memorable line from the hit move The Sixth Sense. Well, I do not see dead people. But, like the boy in Sixth Sense, it seems that I see quite differently than most people when it comes to, not dead people, but old houses. Houses which I…
Continue ReadingHow To Heat A Big Old House. A Theory.
One of the single biggest impediments to owning a big old house — perhaps THE biggest — is heating and cooling. Basically, in a big old house you will never be warm in the winter or cool in the summer. And even trying will cost a terrifying amount. Geez. Because I am quite fond of…
Continue ReadingA Lustron In Emporia!
What, you might ask, is a Lustron? After WWII, factories across America were suddenly idle. As were many millions of workers. One man had an idea: why not transform the steel factories which had created tanks and battleships into factories creating housing? Thus, the dream of Carl Strandlund became reality, and Luston built around 3,000…
Continue ReadingUrban Planning 101
Really, urban planning is not hard. However, based on the countless urban planning disasters since WWII, one would think urban planning is some incredibly complicated and obtuse thing to understand. It ain’t. For example, in designing a building for an urban location, like a Main Street, there are just three rules: 1) Make sure the…
Continue ReadingMore Scaffolding!
Recently, we took down the forest of scaffolding surrounding the round tower. Whoee! This week we put up scaffolding so I could paint the dormer window, and one side of the octagon tower. Whoee! So, bit by bit, the original colors are returning to the Cross House. NOTE: I am much happier standing on a…
Continue ReadingMore Windows!
In order to restore the windows at the Cross House it is necessary to remove them for long-ish periods. A good chunk of this time is waiting for the glazing to dry enough to paint. So, the house ends up with plexiglass covering the openings, which rather kills the beauty of the house. So, behold,…
Continue ReadingHave You Ever Jacked Up A House? SCARY!
I have an deeply-held belief system with regards to old houses: 1) One needs to expect structural issues. 2) As long as you discover SIX or less structural issues, you are lucky. All is well. The Gods have blessed you. 3) If however you find SEVEN, give the house back to the previous owner. And RUN…
Continue ReadingA Scarily Long Post About Road Trips, Cloud Gates, & Other Adventures
Waaaaaaay back in the 1980s (it is really scary that the 1980s now seem like a historical time period. Sigh) I used to travel a lot. I thought nothing about leaving New York City (where I lived at the time) and jumping on a plane to…somewhere. Vienna? Check! Paris? Check! San Francisco? Check! London? Check!…
Continue ReadingThe Thrill Of A Great National Debate
I was not around during the tumultuous national debate about ending slavery. I was not around during the tumultuous national debate about giving women the right to vote. I was not around during the tumultuous national debate when Harry Truman (give ’em hell, Harry!) ended segregation in the military. I was around during the tumultuous national…
Continue ReadingThe Cheeriest Laundry Room That Ever Was
For most of us, having a room JUST for laundry would be a luxury. And, if we had such a room, it would be efficient, simple, and utilitarian. Right? I mean, isn’t this what laundry rooms are supposed to look like? But some people think outside the box. Gotta love such people.
Continue ReadingCan A Wreck Of An Old House Actually IMPROVE Your Health?
While I have zero statistical data to back up the following, I am pretty sure it is a known truth: Old houses can kill. There have been countless couples and singles who have enthusiastically purchased a wreck of an old home, started with gusto…and then…lost their minds. Marriages are destroyed by old houses. People are…
Continue ReadingMy Doors Are Back From The Hospital!!!!!
This image thrills me. You see, the doors just came back from the Door Hospital. They underwent a veneer repair, sanding, staining, and refinishing. I was terrified that they would not survive the anesthetic. But they are back! And GORGEOUS! Thank you, Dr. Doug!!!!! The Cross House has two sets of entry doors. This…
Continue ReadingWhat Do YOU Think I Should Do?
I have a problem. You see, I have X amount of financed construction funds left, and just learned that I have four months to spend this borrowed pool of money, or else the unspent amount gets cancelled by the bank when the loan is rolled over into the mortgage of the Cross House at the end…
Continue ReadingUp High, Is That A Bird? A Plane? Why, no, it is…
ABOVE: A lovely fall Saturday. But wait, up high, is that a bird? A plane? Why, no, it is just some bald guy. ABOVE: You see him? Over at the right edge of the scaffolding? ABOVE: Oh. It is just…me. NOTE: My expression can be correctly interpreted as: 1) WHAT I am doing…
Continue ReadingAbracadabra! Windows…resurrected!
The Cross House has like a zillion windows. OK, maybe not that many. Maybe there are actually only a billion. OK. Maybe not that many. But surely there are thousands. At least it feels like thousands. Luckily, the windows are all original. Praise the Lord that nobody in the 1970s decided to tear out the…
Continue Reading…and did Mrs. Cross belatedly need a conservatory?
ABOVE: You are looking at the second floor of the Cross House, the southeast corner. Sorry for the dark blue patch, that is on the drawing I have. The bedroom was, it seems, the housekeeper’s room. The door shown is right off the servant’s stair, although the door was actually placed a bit over to…
Continue Reading…but how did Mrs. Cross get to her porch?
ABOVE: You are looking at the second-floor Sewing Room of the Cross House, designed by architect Charles W. Squires. In 1894, when the Cross House was built, a “sewing” room was traditionally a wife’s domain, or a Wife Cave in today’s terminology. A library was a husband’s domain. A sewing room was used by…
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