BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE PHYSICAL EVOLUTION OF THE PLACE:
Returning from a successful venture in California gold mining, "Jake" Strang
purchased 42 acres of land in 1853 and built his home in 1856-57 next to Mill Creek.
The home was started in the fall of 1856 with a single story section 23'4" x 30'8"
completed before cold weather set in. This portion of the house contained kitchen,
bedroom, pantry and small sitting room. The following year, 1857 the two story
structure 22'8" x 30'8" was completed which contained front entry hall with
open stairway to second floor, formal parlor, sitting room, bedroom on the
first floor and three bedrooms with ample closets on the second floor.
The house is an unusual combination of several styles, including Federal
and Italianate as well as Greek Revival. The structure has double wall locally made
red bricks with trim of cream color bricks (purchased at $4.50 per thousand, receipt
available) construction with field stone boulders as foundation and basement. The
heavy trim inside and outside is hand lathed. The sweeping bannister to the
second floor is walnut. An interesting feature of the parlor is the decorative
wood trim installed to suggest a fireplace, but used as a backdrop for a wood
burning stove. When the house was remodeled (1938-39) the chimney opening was
plastered shut. The windows are double hung, 4 over 4, or 6 over 6 with mostly
original glass.
At "Jake" Strang's death in 1895 the house passed to his daughter who lived
there for a few years. Then it was rented until purchased by the present owner in 1920.
The house has changed very little over the years.
Exterior:
- The original flat roof was found unsatisfactory and replaced a few
years after construction with a gable roof. The flat roof still exists under the
present roof and the original drain tile is visible.
- French doors were removed between the parlor and kitchen and placed at the
dining room outside entrance, which replaced an entrance that duplicated the
present one.
- In the 1890's a wooden two-story addition was constructed on the
back of the house which was removed in 1938. The plaster covering on the
bricks (a little larger than a doorway) still remains but can be removed without
damage.
- Enlarged and enclosed back entrance into a sunroom.
- Window installed in south kitchen wall.
- Enclosed a basement entrance.
Interior:
- From the parlor, a doorway was cut through to sitting room next to fireplace wall.
- A door from the back entrance hallway was cut into the sitting room.
- In present dining room, the small wall, which included French doors near
bay window, was partially removed.
- The doorway into small bedroom was closed and brick fireplace added.
- The wall between kitchen and the pantry was removed and a new kitchen installed
thus giving the owners a formal dining room in the area that had been the kitchen
and parlor. Enlarged area of back entrance way to make enclosed sunroom, bathroom and
closet with wash basin.
- Added a doorway from kitchen to sunroom.
The above changes were made in the years 1938-39 to the first floor; no changes
except the addition of electricity have been made to the second floor.
