Stairs

So...in 1881, my Great, Great Grandfather built this house...
I've dreamed over this picture my whole life.
I loved this house.
(sorry it's not the best picture...it's a picture of a picture.)
Here is the house and land shortly before my parents got the property.
We think this was taken in 1971.
The house was in poor repair.
It had been vandalized and had sat empty for a few years.
Mom and Dad decided to tear the house down in February of 1980.
I was just a few weeks old!
The cost of fixing it would have been more than building new.
It had running water, but no bathroom...

So they tore it down, took the lumber from it and reused it.
They basically built their house from this one.
Mom and Dad's front doors are the house's front doors.
They kept the stairs.
Score!!
They were hung in Mark's barn.
They were waiting for me and Matt!
Matt wouldn't agree to building me a replica of the old house...I did ask, trust me!
He did agree to using the stairs.
I reconfigured the living room so they will work.
Matt thinks I am slightly crazy.
I think it is amazing that my family has walked up and down those stairs.
Hopefully they will squeak...

Getting them down from the barn.
Very dirty...
Very covered in bird nests and animal poop...
Very heavy...


After a little cleaning off.
They are curved at the top.
They have decorative molding.
They are amazing.
Did I mention I am in love with them?

Hefting them into the basement!
7 Strong men!
They will be in the front of the house, along the East wall of the living room.
They will be open to the basement so that the detail can be seen on them.
We will have to cut them off a little.
The entry in the old house was 10' tall.
Our ceilings will be 9'.
We have the old banister spindles and the newel post.
The newel post needs major, major work.
We will probably need to have more spindles made, some are broken and missing.
Plus we will need a bunch more for the railing at the top of the stairs.
The banister was vandalized...stolen.
So we will have to get one made.
We have a small piece of it so we can get a replica made.
Anyone know a good woodworker?

I think they will be one of the best parts of the house.

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