Thanks for stumbling onto our site! However you came to be here, we’re excited to see what you have to say!
Since the site is really divided by the houses and rooms we’ve worked on, if you need a place to start that isn’t confusing, hopefully this helps!
The First Post
outlines the houses we’ve owned, and why we love them.
The Second Post
explains how I came to decide on the name of the blog.
The Third Post
takes you through our Forever Home when it was on the market, and begins the journey of her Restoration.
From these posts, you should be able to start to work your way through each post! Let us know what you think – we love chatting with other old house aficionados!
Hi Amy – my name is Ronnie Bullock and I’m the oldest daughter of the originally family who first started restoring the home back in the 80’s. We have watched it take over many hands (since we had to give up the feat) and I have to say it’s good to know the home has some very attentive and caring owners! The house had been good to us – I have fond memories of cutting and painting those stencils and anaglypta wallpaper (in what was the dining room) all the way to signing walls and finding the hidden timeless treasures in the pocket doors! Anyway wanted to say I love what your doing with your site and that you are putting a name to “period” home restoration in franklin and all small towns across america. Its great to see so much care and respect for these gems of the past! If interested, I have period photos of the Murrays and the home we found in the house, our before and after photos of where we started turning the home from a rotting apartment building to one full house and best yet my father (who can tell quite the story and reasoning behind the vision) in town the end of May. It would be great to meet and catch up and hear your stories!
I believe these old photos I write of rightfully belong to you….you earned it!
Keep up the fight and hard work! – Ronnie (Beidler) Bullock
Oh my goodness! Hello, Ronnie! I actually just saw your post on the Franklin Heritage Page a few minutes ago, and wanted to reach out – I’m SO glad you did! Part of what I was hoping with my blog was exactly this – to be able to connect with people who hopefully know stories about the house. I would absolutely adore meeting you and your father. We must make this happen. And PICTURES! I have found so little in my research and have been absolutely dying to find any. The grandson of Mr. Bryant, who lived here in the 30’s, still lives in Franklin and says he has some as well, and I am hoping to see them. I would absolutely love to see what you have, and be able to get or make copies to display in the house. I can’t tell you how much I would LOVE that. I appreciate your kind words. We love the house, and are so appreciative of the things we’ve heard about your family’s time as caretaker and restorers. And the dining room is my favorite – and one of the few spaces that didn’t sustain massive water damage from the years of being vacant. I’m very happy that that room is as intact as it is. I can’t think of anything better than to be able to connect and find out more about the house’s past. It is truly our dream house, and we are so thankful we have the chance to save it and be a part of its history. Please feel free to reach out on here, or at my email (1902victorian@gmail.com). We’d love to meet your father in May, and meet you anytime you are available. Thanks so much for making my day!!!!
It’s nice to formally meet!
We can hook you up! We have stories of our own we still talk about (renovation, funny and neighborhood stories), stories from former tenants who knocked on the doors and introduced themselves for the twelve (?) years we lived there, stories about where Franklin Heritage Foundation was founded (right there in your dining room – my father and another man named Chris Hext started it) and all the first meetings there and original members that signed your walls AND I have popped in over the years and introduced myself on a few past tenants (within the past 15 years) and have heard their colorful stories and have been given tours.
I always loved that home, its character and it holds so many great memories for all of us. We also lived next door at the corner house (2 Martin Place) before my parents decided to take on and purchase the poor, delapitating house/apartment next door because it had so much personality, history and potential to offer and no one would step in or had the vision past its rough exterior. (I have those before pictures too before they purchased – it was rough, rotting, bird and bat infested, the upper staircase was sawed off and plywood was nailed down over it to make the home several apartments and there was no front porch on it – just a concrete stoop). We lived next door while my dad continued to lease it and do light renovations until we officially moved in and opened it back up into a home.
I also want to mention my dad has been a fan of your blog and what your doing and following you since last year – so we would love to arrange something in May. I live in SE Indy (so not far) and my son is graduating High School around May 28th – so let me verify when dad is coming into Indiana and I will give you some dates. Note we may need some time for this and are anxious to see and meet you in person.
Looking forward to it!
Ronnie (Beidler) Bullock
WordPress is being weird and won’t let me reply to your second comment! Doug and I are both really looking forward to meeting you and your father! And definitely, let’s plan on a long visit – I have a feeling we will have so much to talk about. I’m really REALLY hoping we break the trend for this house of rotting and restoring – it’s so heartbreaking that it has happened a few times. But we are in love with the house, and hope we can do it – and everyone who loves it – justice. Let me know if you’d like to get together before May at all, too! I can’t tell you how excited we are to see pictures after searching for so long! I can’t wait to hear all of your father’s stories. This has seriously been the best part of my day – thank you!
Hey Amy – its a busy weekend for us but I emailed you a date that works! Please let me know if that works for you and note we are all very excited. Hope to see you soon!
hi miss hevalin its Alyssa from band… I love your website and you are a great band teacher.
I love that you have been able to make contact with previous owners! We were lucky that our house has been in our family since 1852. Unfortunately, the branch that inherited the house were pretty closed off and might as well have been strangers. At any rate, anyone who loves an old house is a friend of mine. Blessings!
Jana