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early American country homes
A RETURN TO SIMPLER LIVING
What is an Early American country home? It's unpretentious, not fancy. It's rustic . . . but not. It's country-downhome country. It's simple-in fact some might call it primitive. But most of all, it just feels like home.
In some cases, the owners of the homes featured here have added graceful touches to the bones of great old houses, while maintaining their historical grounding to the past. In others, owners have created contemporary country homes that fit snugly into Early American traditions, sometimes even using historical materials to better evoke the timeless simplicity of country living.
Author Tim Tanner and his wife Johnna restored their first nineteenth-century home in 1988, and have been involved in restoration and reproduction projects using reclaimed materials ever since. This book is meant to be an inspiration and resource for anyone interested in building, re-creating, restoring, or just enjoying simple Early American country styling.
TIM TANNER has been a graphic designer, artist, and freelance illustrator for over 25 years, with his work appearing on the covers of several national best sellers. He has been an avid history buff since childhood, and is a member of the American Mountain Men and a founding member of the American Longrifle Association, where he currently serves as chairman of its National Standing Committee on Authenticity. He has published articles on historical subjects in various publications, including the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Journal and Muzzleloader Magazine. He is on the faculty at Brigham Young University, Idaho, where he teaches art and design. A native of Utah, he currently resides in Teton Valley, Idaho.
The Samuel Waters Tavern is a remarkable little piece of history tucked into the center of New England, fronting one of the many old turnpikes common to Massachusetts. The tavern was constructed around 1775 by Mr. Samuel Waters and his wife Prudence. The property was used not only as a tavern and a private residence, but at one time in its history it was also used as a meeting house for a local group of Freemasons.
The quaint New England home has been a witness to colorful history throughout its more than 235 years of existence, including the residence of a pair of "maiden ladies" and a noted woman suffragist, Lucy Phelps. Lucy's signature can still be found on many of the walls in the upstairs ballroom of the tavern.
Introduction 8
Generations of Living: Restored Originals 13
Connected to the Past: Libbey Home, York County, Maine ca. 1770 15
A Colonial Tavern: Bonin Home (Samuel Waters Tavern), Sutton, Massachusetts ca. 1775 21
European Roots: Janke Home (Marinus Peterson Home), Sanpete County, Utah ca. 1875 27
Twist of Fate: Jense Home (Reddick Newton Allred Home), Sanpete County, Utah ca. 1870 33
West Virginia Mountain Cottage: Smith Cottage (Leafie's Cottage), Original Portion, Southern West Virginia ca. mid-1800s 39
Wasatch Stone: Wright Home, Box Elder County, Utah ca. 1862 45
Adding to History: Restored Originals with Modern Additions 51
Pioneer Tenacity: Barker Home (Orson Hyde Home), Sanpete County, Utah ca. 1865 53
A Connecticut Yankee: Neary Home, Southern Litchfield County, Connecticut ca. 1784-1810 59
Old Kentucky Home: Sayre Home, Midway, Kentucky ca. 1880 65
Western Reserve Farmhouse: Willmott Home, Portage County, Ohio ca. 1880 71
Kentucky Horse Heaven: Walden Home (Paul's Mill), Woodford County, Kentucky ca. 1790-1813 77
Creating Timelessness: New Homes with Original Materials 83
Blue Ridge Vision: Bradley Home (Moriah), Earlysville, Virginia ca. 2008 85
Ridges of Madison County: Craig Home, Madison County, Virginia ca. 1995/2002 91
Family Traits: Grubbs Home, Garrard County, Kentucky ca. 2005 97
Italianate Virginia: O'Connor Home (Western View), Madison County, Virginia ca. 1998 103
Idaho Transplant: Stukel Home, Teton Valley, Idaho ca. 2002 109
Something Old, Something New: Original Materials as Accents 115
Best of Both Worlds: Miller Home, Stark County, Ohio ca. 1990 117
Midwestern New England: Clinch Home, Dunlap, Illinois ca. 1977 123
Greenfield Village Genesis: Edwards Home, Southeastern Michigan ca. 1991 129
Barn Inspired: Tanner Home, Teton Valley, Idaho ca. 2008 135
When Guests Come to Visit: Cabins 141
Country Images 149
Lovedove
Posted August 25, 2011
I have many magazine subscriptions that I love to gather ideas and daydreams from. When I picked up this book I felt more a part of the rooms and era than I could have imagined possible. The photography is excellent, and the written details are sincere. This city girl will wander the country splendor of these pages time and time again. Thank you!
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Overview
early American country homes
A RETURN TO SIMPLER LIVING
What is an Early American country home? It's unpretentious, not fancy. It's rustic . . . but not. It's country-downhome country. It's simple-in fact some might call it primitive. But most of all, it just feels like home.
In some cases, the owners of the homes featured here have added graceful touches to the bones of great old houses, while maintaining ...