History Belatedly Revealed
This is the original plan of the octagon bedroom.
In 1929, Scout Mouse purchased the Cross House, and converted the second floor into apartments. I have, thrillingly, the plans for this conversion. This is, again, the octagon bedroom. A kitchen was to be inserted, a dining nook, and a Murphy bed. But…I saw no evidence in the flooring that this conversion had ever taken place, although the closets HAD been converted into bathrooms.
Today however, while clearing out the bedroom, I was startled to discover confirmable evidence that the conversion HAD been implemented. On the north wall of the bedroom (the right side of the above plans) there are hot/cold pipes and a drain pipe. Oh. Oh!
And on the west wall (top, in the above plans) there is obvious evidence that the base has been altered, and in the exact location where the dining nook was designed to be.
Golly.
It surprises me that the house can continue to surprise me.
So, it develops that while the flooring shows no evidence of such an alteration, the walls confirm that this alteration did, in fact, take place.
I have aways wondered when the flooring was installed; 1929 (during the apartment conversion) or 1950 (when the house was converted into a motel)? I can now safely state that the flooring is 1950. A motel room would not need a kitchen or dining nook. I now assume that the 1929 alteration was removed, new flooring laid, and all to create a motel room in what had been an apartment unit.
This discovery was delayed because right after buying the house I installed a huge work table in the room, and lined the walls with stuff (lumber, doors, etc). By clearing the room out today, the scars of history rather jumped out.
Golly.
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Old houses will continually surprise the owner with little(or big) details during their entire existence. I love it.
Have you posted the conversion plans? If you did, I missed that post. It would be fun to see them.
Oops — hit “post” too soon. What I meant to say was: You are a pretty good detective! I’m so happy you share you finds with us.
Once again, I am jealous of your drawings!