Three Gables

So our friend's brother just bought a little fixer-upper.

According to the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation, "This house originated as a simple two-room building constructed circa. 1824, and the substantial brick addition was added in about 1860. The building is a center hall Gothic Revival style house, and is a rare example of this architectural style both in this community and statewide. [It] is possibly the oldest structure in the Kansas City area." Wow.

It's a three-acre property with monsterous oak trees. I wish someone was standing at the base of 'em so you could tell how tall they are.

All of the trees make it feel really secluded...

...which is surprising, because it's now surrounded by suburbia!

The sense of history you feel just by being there is pretty incredible; from the real, functional shutters on the windows outside...

...to the individual ax marks you can see on the wooden beams, inside.

But it's been vacant for some time and needs a lot of TLC. I believe Andy made some reference to a 1980s Tom Hanks movie with the words "Money" and "Pit" in the title.

These bricks comprise the sidewalk that wraps around the house.

As we were walking through this area between the garage and the barn, Leslie discovered a huge patch of wild/volunteer strawberries!

A window to the past?

And some heirloom apples.

Then flash back to our house in the 21st century, for some cherry pie from the farmers market yesterday morning. Landon loves his bud, Mr. Mackey!