Woodwork

One important aspect of the Dayton House is the amount of intact woodwork.  Over the years, the original integrity of the configuration of the house and the craftsmanship of its components remained surprisingly untouched and largely unaltered.  Perhaps one reason for the near pristine and authentic quality of the work was that it was done so well to begin with and because the house was never vacant.  And although it is a zoned multi-dwelling residence, it has always been owner occupied.

The early owners of the Dayton House were affluent citizens.  A house of this style and construction would not have been built by a laborer, but more likely a mill or factory owner.  First of all, solid brick/masonry construction was the most costly form of building.  It would be today as well – if that form of construction was still employed.  It’s not, mostly because it is so costly.  The house was built in three stages and each stage was the same method of construction.

Baseboard moulding in c.1840 (original) section of the house

Woodwork and moulding in c.1870 addition of house



Another hallmark of affluent construction and design is the use of quality wood and decorative moldings.  While the Dayton House may seem inferior to more showy styles (such as Victorian), it is no less impressive with its simple style door and window frames and baseboards.  The ogee style of the woodwork is historically significant for the time in which it was produced.  Even more significant is that the style and quality was carried on throughout the entire house.  In many homes, only the public rooms received this decorative treatment.  The builders of the Dayton House, at each stage, had ample funds to employ this decorative detail to both public and private rooms.

Window sill moulding in Dining Room

Baseboard in Office/Small room off Dining Room

Upstairs Bathroom - with authentic/period tub, baseboards and Windows, original

Upstairs Bedroom, showing imrpessive molding for a non-public room

That this house was well built to start and has been dutifully maintained is obvious in the fact that most of the original components remain.  That there is so much original intact detailing is a blessing.  It is far easier to move into a historic house that is intact, than it is to take on one that needs to be restored.  The Dayton House is fortunate that it has always been occupied by owners who care about it and who want to see it survive into the future.  The original builder and subsequent builders did their part by constructing a home of quality.  Everyone who has lived here since has benefited from their work and obviously felt committed to maintaining it.   There are many aspects of the house that speak to this sense of importance.  But perhaps one of the most obvious example is found in the woodwork itself.

Furniture

Furnishing and old house can be a challenge.  Modern furniture often looks incongruous, while antiques can be cost prohibitive.  While modern over-stuffed sofas are easy to come by and certainly very comfortable, massive furniture and well stocked rooms are not the friend of old homes with wood joists.  These homes were built at a time when furniture was smaller and houses more sparsely furnished.  You do not do an old home any favors by furnishing it with large reclining sofas, waterbeds and pool tables.

Most of the Dayton House is currently furnished with older solid wood pieces.  Concessions were made for the sofa – a historically correct sofa is not going to be comfortable enough to watch a Sabres game on!  But a small scale sectional sofa fit well into the living room without over-taking it – and a diminutive couch was not an easy thing to find.

One good example of period-appropriate furniture is the dining room set.  This is a Duncan Phyfe reproduction set manufactured by Berhnardt, most likely in the mid 1900’s.   This set was purchased second hand and is not in pristine condition, but it fits well with the style of the house.  We intend to leave this set when we move on and hope it is kept in the house for future owners as it is perhaps the most aesthetically appropriate dining suite for the space.  TLC would do it justice.

Here’s a bit of info about Duncan Phyfe

Duncan Phyfe (1768-1854) was one of nineteenth-century America’s leading furniture makers.  He was born in Scotland and immigrated to Albany, NY. 

Phyfe started out as a cabinetmaker’s apprentice, eventually moving to NY City to open his own shop. He became known as one of America's leading cabinetmakers by selling affordable quality furniture.  Stylistically, his pieces encompassed a broad range of the classical styles popular in the late 1700’s (Empire, Sheraton, Regency, Classical French and Federal).  His most enduring work is a simple style which was in opposition to the imported French designs popular at the time. It’s this simplicity that makes the style of his furniture so well suited to the high quality but simple design of the Dayton House.

Duncan Phyfe's furniture is highly collectible but not easy to find.  If one were to purchase a new reproduction of his classic style drop leaf table today, it would run about $2500.00.  Here’s an example:

The set currently occupying the dining room at the Dayton House could use some refinishing.  The brass knobs on the hutch have been cleaned, but the same still remains to be done on the buffet.  The table itself has a shaky leg that has been shored up.  There is some discoloration on the table and buffet top – but in spite of this all, the set still looks right in the room:

A heavy and ornate modern dining set just isn’t a good fit for this space.

Not quite right for the room:

Old and simple is a better fit for the house than new and ornate!

The Dayton House Recycles

The Dayton House recycles.  Here is one example.  We line our kitchen drawers with brown paper bags from the supermarket.  When they get grungy, they are used in the fire pit.  We like reusable bags but when the only option is plastic, we save that for poop patrol.  The dog eats a raw carb-free diet, so there isn't much to pick up.  We feel a dog is a great rodent deterrent -- unless you fail to pick up the yard.  Rats can eat feces and many city dwellers don't realize that.  It's why we have gravel in the back section of the yard which can easily be kept poop-free.  Every few months we spray Round-up to kill weeds, which is not dangerous once it hits the ground.  But we do that on a weekend we are sending the dog somewhere else.  Keeping the yard weed and vine free is one of the best ways to keep away pests -- crawling and flying kinds alike!

Here's the drawer with more stuff in it.  When we got the historic designation, it was noted that the cabinets were modernized.  There was really not much choice as what was built in had to come out in order to put in new wiring and enclose plumbing that used to run through the shelving. That caused mold and wasn't an idea worth replicating!

The house now has the large recycling tote from the city.  Trash pick up is in the Norther District schedule.  For trash rules, click here.  In the process of cleaning up the house, we've already gotten one ticket for putting out too much trash.  So it's worth it to be aware of the rules.

We do not use an in-sink garbage disposal.  While it would have been cheap and easy to put one in, we didn't want one in an older house and don't suggest any others who live here get one.  The run from the kitchen out to the sewer is a long one and there is no reason to chance plugging anything up along the way.  Old houses just weren't designed for those types of gadgets.   Besides, we feed all of our vegetable scraps which most people shove down the disposer to the dog.  Yet another reason to get one!

Old houses are more "green" than most people think.  However, there are still many ways to recycle and cut down on waste.

And one other old house green tip... old style claw foot tubs require a shower curtain.  Keep them clean by stocking the tub with a plastic spray bottle that is half water and half vinegar.  Spritz the shower curtain after each use.  Once a month, dump a half a cup of baking soda down each drain and follow with half cup of vinegar.  Let it  bubble, then run warm water through.  Your drains will stay clear and you won't hurt your old pipes at all.

Black Rock is Artsy!

Allentown isn't the only neighborhood that has an art scene.  Black Rock is a promising new component to the creative culture that hasn't gotten widespread notice but is catching the attention of those who like to gather and gallery gaze.  Gallery 464 is located at 464 Amherst St.  It keeps neihgborhood company with Artsphere.  While it may seem like an odd situation, Artsphere is located at the front end of Salon Daneen (where I get my hair cut once or twice a year whether I need it or not!).  Daneen's mother is the artist and she creates wonderful renderings of local buildings in pastel, color pencil, water-colors, etc.  In both galleries there are interesting rotations of artists.

Street events occur in the warmer months as a result of activities centered around this small art community.  What is great about this area is that is hasn't gotten so much notice that there are parking issues (or pay stations!), so it makes it a nice place to spend some time -- a cup of coffee from Delish and a trip into a gallery or two to look at prints, jewelry, pottery, etc.

More gallery and art-outlets are sure to appear on this stretch on paved potential.  Between the new restaurants, music oriented store-fronts and specialty stores, there is quite a lot going on in this section of town.  Come by for a visit!

Black Rock is Sweet!

We've been getting pastries at Carriage Trade on Elmwood for years.  It's located on the West side of Elwood between Grote and Marion St.  The best cakes in the city come from this bakery.

Delish has moved from Elmwood to Grant St.  The store is just West of Grant.  This is a big boon for the neighborhood as it's a great place to stop for coffee and an out-of-this-world brownie.  Delish also offers cooking classes.

Wegmans has a respectable bakery but with these two Black Rock gems, it pays to go  local.

Sweet!!!

Black Rock Rocks!

Buffalo's best honky-tonk. It is the real deal!

Located on Amherst St, just west of Grant.  It's been recently expanded and attracts national talent.  The only downside is that the place is not air conditioned!

You can also take music lessons on Amherst Street!  This is the Arts Enrichment Center.  Many of the Amherst St. galleries and eateries feature live music too.

Black Rock Rocks!!!

Down By The River

This picture was taken about a half an hour ago.  It's a pretty typical scene for us in the evening.  While the Dayton House  can't boast actual river frontage, it is two blocks away.

There are a number of great spots on the river and we use them all.  The picture above is a five  minute car ride from the house.  It's Aqua Lane.  It's one of the spots we like to take the dog for open field running.  Walking distance from the house, a good open spot for frolic is either Tow Path Park, which is three long blocks away heading North on the bike path, or Squaw Island which is accessible by the International Railroad Bridge that is two blocks from the house.

If running is your thing, the bike path is a great route.  From the house to the pedestrian bridge (which is just about at the city line) and back is just about 3.5 miles -- great training for a 5K.  Running to the River Grill and back is just over four miles.  If it's a hot day, you can run a little further up to Aqua Lane and grab a drink in the restroom up there.  That will put you just a little under 5.  The Grand Island bridge is a 4 mile run.  Having someone drop you off at the bridge and then running home is a very pleasant route.  Another good one-way route if you have a ride home is up to the gazebo in Isleview Park.  In the summer, that's where you'll hit a water fountain and a big sprayer too.  There is a water fountain at the water treatment plant on River Rd. which helps if you are doing the bridge or Isleview run.

If biking is your thing, it is ten miles up to the North end of the trail.   It is also a very nice ride to take the path south down to the inner harbor.  That route takes you over squaw Island and you can take any number of routes once you get back to the city proper.

There is also now a bike path that hooks the riverwalk to the path over to Delaware Park.

There are many great biking and running routes that mean you don't have to worry about city traffic.  That's just a nice perk to being down by the river!

Officially Notified!

We were officially notified today via US Mail in a letter from the National Parks Service.  Our designation is complete.  In fact, we made it on to Wikipedia!  How many homes can say that?

There is no actual write up about the house and I'll have to see about that!  Unfortunately, the picture shown is prior to our latest paint job.

There are definite benfits to being listed.  From the NPS website:

To recognize the national significance of properties that possess exceptional values or qualities in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States, the Secretary of the Interior designates some historic places as National Historic Landmarks. National Park Service historians and archeologists study and evaluate these properties within the context of major themes of American history. Properties judged to be nationally significant are nominated by the National Park Service and forwarded to the National Park System Advisory Board, which may recommend to the Secretary of the Interior that the property be designated a National Historic Landmark. When designated, National Historic Landmarks are listed in the National Register.

Check out the link on Wikipedia too! 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Register_of_Historic_Places_listings_in_Buffalo,_New_York

The application is on view at the Park Services website, or you can drop by the house and read it anytime.

Black Rock Cooks!

The Nickel City Chef competitions is one hot ticket.  It's the Buffalo version of Iron Chef and it takes place in Black Rock.

Artisan Kitchen and Bath is located on Amherst St, just three blocks from the Dayton House.  It's on the East side of the railroad bridge and has one heck of a set up to show the cooks at work.  The event will be taped for public broadcast and a book will follow.  Yes, Buffalo's Kitchen Stadium is in Black Rock!

Some of the best fresh-made sausage to be found is on Amherst St. as well.  A fresh pig comes in every Tuesday and is processed into sausage, bacon, sandwich meat and other piggish delights!  The Dayton House shops at Spars and you should too!

Gondola Macaroni Company is two blocks away and produces the fresh pasta served in  Buffalo's finest restaurants -- and also at the Dayton House.  If you can't get to Niagara and Hamiliton, you can find Gondola for sale at Guercio's on Grant St. and also at Decamilla's bakery in Amherst -- sorry if I spelled that wrong, we never have to go there... we have fine bakeries and fresh pasta here.

Sun Asian Market is also on Niagara and Hamilton.  It is on the opposite corner of Hamilton from Gondola.  This is genuine Asian fare and sells the supplies and ingredients any serious cook would want to have cheap and easy access to.  This is one of Buffalo's best kept secrets, but it probably won't stay a secret for long.

Black Rock boasts some impressive cooking credentials these days.  It's a place for people who  like to eat and who like to cook.  What it lacks, is pretension and snobbery.

How Safe is Black Rock?

This is a current crime map for the City of Buffalo.  It's from www.crimereports.com.  The neighborhood where the Dayton House is located falls within the area circled.  We are often derided for the "safety" of where we live when in reality, this is the quietest city neighborhood we've ever resided in.  Yes, sometimes a noisy tenant moves on to the street and causes a temporary disruption -- but the block where the house sits is largely owner occupied.  It has never been burglarized.

Other more "in demand" sections of the city boast "better" neighborhoods -- but they aren't necessarily safer.  The crime map above shows a low density of crimes for the Dearborn St. section of the city.

From the Home Finder website.

This is no anomaly and the website capture didn't occur on a slow crime day.  This is just the way it normally is.

Black Rock Eats... Well!!!!

This is Nick's -- the best diner in Black Rock.  Don't be taken back by the fire damage on the second floor, it's being repaired.  There was a big street initiative to get the restaurant up and running as soon as possible after the fire and they are back in business.  You'll get affordable diner fare for breakfast and lunch seven days a week.  Another restaurant in the same family is Sophia's up on Military Rd, featured on Diner, Dives and Drive-ins.  You'll find the same staff at both locations and both serve the same wonderful food.

I don't know if anyone in the city hasn't heard about Black Rock Kitchen and Bar -- which has to be the best new restaurant in the city.   The food is great and the beer and scotch/bourbon selection is phenomenal.  It may not be easy to get a table, but if there are just two of you, eat at the bar!

We love the Sun Asian Market for spring rolls -- this combination Asian grocery and take-out spot is around the corner from the Dayton House.  We have been known to pick up quadruple orders of spring rolls (two per order) to bring as appetizers when invited to parties.  This place is on par with 99 Fast Food and super convenient. 

For straight take out Chinese, we love the No. 1. Kitchen on the corner of Grant and Amherst.  Good quality food for not a lot of $$.  And if you're in the mood for Pizza, consider Joes:

This is the side view -- it's in the Tops Plaza and is the best source for NY Style Pizza.  This is "Joe" of "Gino and Joes."  We make a lot of pizza at the Dayton House, but when we order out, we order here.

Fassos Italina restaurant is a nice place to get home-cooked style food -- but we are also just a short distance from Santisieros.  Granted, Santisieros' might be considered West Side, but we're claiming it for Black Rock.

There are plenty more places to try out -- all just five minutes away.  Black Rockers like to eat and we know we've got plenty of small culinary gems in our neighborhood.  Come by and try them out!

Marking History in Black Rock

This sign hangs above the front door of the Dayton House and it indicates who the house is named for.

This sign is posted at the corner of Amherst and Niagara, at the Western terminus of Amherst St.  Black Rock is historic for many reasons and this marks the beginning of the section of the street where the historic district begins.

This sign marks the spot where the British landed prior to their scorch and torch efforts on December 30th 1812.  This is one of the most historic spots in the city, but few really know about it.

Down the street from the Dayton House is perhaps one of the most historic and important homes as far as the designation and district goes. The Dayton house boasts ownership by a mayor, but the Howell House was built by a man who was far more important.  History shows that he donated one million dollars to the city in order to help establish it.  Back in 1830, that was a substantial sum.  Can someone please step forward with a similar largess today?

Folks often wonder what historic designation does for a home or area.  The Federal and State designation is quite different from local districts and the effect on property values are strongly affected by the type of designation.  Federal and State designation is usually the result of an effort to protect an area, neighborhood or structure from demolition or devaluation as the result of an infrastructure project.  This was the case with Black Rock.  The study was done to protect this part of the city from a project which sought to build an international truck bridge.  The effect would have been devastating.  The study and designation has ensured a stable future for the neighborhood and we are grateful for it.

Local designations are often sought for neighborhoods that seek to achieve a certain cache and are in need of revitalization.  A prime example would be Allentown which is governed by the Allentown Association.  There is a strict committee that oversees the development and future improvements for the area and seeks to preserve the physical characteristics and charm of the district.  Within the district there are also Federal and State designated properties, but not all buildings in Allentown are designated historic.

The type of designation a structure has affects its over-all property value.  It's a complex topic and most research done to quantify the benefits have been done by urban planners and other civic organizations.  It is hard to broadly apply the results because each city/town is different. 

For Federal and State designated properties, there is extra value because of tax credits available for repairs and improvements that meet the SHPO and Federal guidelines as being done for the good of the house.  If the application does not meet standards, the work can still be done -- there is no restriction on style, materials, etc.  The issue is with what is considered worthy of receiving the tax credit.  Things like a new boiler, roof replacement, and other sort of repairs that keep the house standing.

Local districts face a different standard.  Repairs and other enhancements must keep with the character of the district and are subject to a board/committee approval.  The owner of a building in a local district faces much stronger standards and obstacles when it comes to working on their property.

Valuation of properties are affected by designations.  It is generally recognized that a designation will usually add 15% value to the property.  An additional 15% can be considered appropriate if a person of note lived or owned it.  This means the person or group needs to be rather famous or have enough notoriety to be recognizable -- or a very important event had to have taken place that is widely  known about.  An additional 15% can be added of the structure itself is of superior construction, style or quality.  On the whole a property does very well if it achieves a valuation of 131% as a result of it's status.

Often Federal/State will help add value because the cost to maintain the property is offset by tax credits and also because there is less cost involved because historically correct/committee certified material isn't required.  Homes that must go through a strict approval process can actually suffer because there is an assumption that maintenance will be more onerous.  Then again, if the district itself means the house is situated in a superior location because of the district, location can trump that concern.

The location of an historic property can affect its value too.  A home that is nearer to a major city or important historic area will generally value higher than one which is remote or further away.  A truly horrible/dangerous location might weigh negatively in the analysis of over-all value, but the designation will still probably help the building gain a higher value over other properties in proximity to it.

Finally, the cost to restore a building come into the equation.  If it will cost more than 50% of a building's over-all value to bring it up to functional and "restored" standard, that can negatively affect any sort of Cost Valuation done on the property.

This is a very general explanation.  Accurate valuation of an historic property can only be done by a highly qualified, certified and registered professional (a CRA is a Certified Residential Appraiser).  While it is generally held that an historic property carries a higher value than it's non designated counter-part a true analysis of it's value is not always easy to attain.  The major goal in determiningt the worth of any home is the life it will provide.  We are after all, living in a "home" and not a share of stock or calculated number.

Another Nice Thing About Radiators

Yet another nice thing about radiators, is that they are a great place to set dough for it to rise.  The temperature is perfect.  A lot of dough (of the flour variety) is made at the Dayton House and between this radiator and the one in the kitchen and the one in the lower bathroom, there is plenty of space to set out dough to rise.  Some weekends are baking marathons and the radiators have pots, bowls, ziplock bags lined up with all sorts of rising dough.  Yet another reason to love radiators!

The Black Rock Lifestyle

One of the nice things about living in Black Rock, is that you get a lot of house for the money.  The previous pictures of the dining room showed it open with a small table.  Here is how much room there is even with the table expanded for six.  There is another leaf to this table and fully expanded, it still doesn't over-take the room.  It makes quite a nice setting for a big dinner.  Few houses in the city have dining rooms this big and we like to take full advantage of it.

Another great thing about  Black Rock, are the ingredients you can easily obtain for great entertaining.  This gathering took advantage of many local resources.  We are locavores -- not only from a produce perspective, but from a consumer perspective.  We served fresh beer from Flying Bison -- found up on Ontario St.  We served a variety of pizzas on homemade dough -- two of which were made with cappicolla (one sweet and one hot) from Spars European Sausage.  We picked up some cheese from them too along with cheese from Guercios.

Another awesome thing about Buffalo and this section of the city, is that these local high quality ingredients aren't expensive! I can just imagine if we lived, for example, in San Francisco or another high cost city. These ingredients would have cost a pretty penny.  In fact, I bet they'd cost more if we got them from a specialty shop in Amherst or Williamsville.  Having these small businesses locally means we have access to fresh high quality ingredients all within five minutes of the house.

If we hadn't baked a fresh apple pie, we'd have gone across the street from Spars to pick up brownies from Delish.  One of our hardest choices these days is whether we buy our decadent treats from Delish or Carriage Trade!

Black Rock is a *yummy* place to live.

Happy House Inspection!

The house was inspected today.  I know an educational business that teaches classes in building inspection.  They asked us of they could use our home for a case-study.  The goal was to give the three students a chance to inspect an old home.  The class is led by a certified instpector and all three student are already working in construction.  They were eager to see the place and did a thorough job from top to bottom.  We will get the full report on Tuesday.  He also looked the house over for pests and says we are all clear.

The instructor did a preliminary walk through on Thursday and alerted us to a cracked eave in the attic.  This one was actually on the original portion of the roof which is then topped with the addition.  This section of the roof was recovered when the tear off was done but it is still under the second full roof, so this was not a dangerous situation.  No matter, we had someone in fixing it this morning and it was done while the inspector was there -- and received his seal of approval.


We love showing this house to people who want to learn more about old homes.  I told the students about the seminar that SHPO gives for contractors too.  If we are still here in February, we've invited the next class to come an inspect the house.  Between the historical tours and these classes we feel this house has a lot to teach about construction of yesteryear's homes.  And we like knowing about anything that needs attention.  We take caring for this old house very seriously.

Sibling Rivalry

When you own a unique old house, you sometimes get a little obsessive.  In our case, we always wanted to know if the others like it in the city were still standing.  There was one we watched for years off of lower Niagara near the thruway ramp.  It was sad to see it decay further and further until finally it was demolished.  There are now no other houses like ours in the city.   But that doesn't mean I'm not still  looking out for the other old brick men (I don't consider my house a lady as he is not Victorian).    The last house I am showing at the end of this posting is on Amherst St, not far from Wegmans.  I hope that it's in good condition inside and that there is a way to get it designated if it still is intact.

This first house is no longer intact and it's sad.  This one sits on W. Delavan at the corner on Niagara.  It's been added on to.  It's now part of a used car dealership.  This house was probably built around the same time as the Dayton House got his Italianate update.  The round segmental window arches give that clue.

This is a picture of that structure from the front.  The facade has been completely obliterated.  A preservationists nightmare!

 This is a side view of an old brick building on W. Ferry near Grant.  This house was converted to offices but still appears to be part residential. It is a double too.  This building could not get historic designation on account of the windows.  It is also not as old as the Dayton House.

Here is a front view of this house.  I think the McDonald's sign distracts from it (and people think the decrepit house next to ours is a killer!).



I've picked these buildings as comparisons because they are masonry construction.  That is different than a brick veneer over a wood frame.  Most "brick" houses in the city are not full masonry construction. That is a lost form of building that will never be revived because it is so costly.  However, it makes for a house that is far more durable than a wood/clapboard counter-part.  This is part of the reason the Dayton House has survived for so long.

I am also going to say that I am not a fan of people who look to these houses -- or at houses like the Dayton House with a mind to find "Comparables" from an appraisal standpoint.  As a person who works in the mass appraisal industry, getting the true value of an old home is a tricky proposition and the attention paid to comps as the result of HGTV shows and get-rich-quick self-proclaimed moguls is the enemy of historic preservation.  It doesn't do these homes justice and it certainly won't help them survive into the future.

We are pulling for the house on Amherst -- we are kindred spirits.  Old brick men who don't want to go over to the dark side and become investment or commercial properties.  If anyone knows the people who own the house on Amherst, please speak up!  It's on our radar....

Front Porch

The front porch was a real disaster.  The concrete was crumbling and had to be repaired -- but it was beyond repair so we had to bite the bullet, save up a ton of cash and have it completely rebuilt.  This took over a year and a half, a couple of different contractors and at least a couple of thousand dollars.  The first guy went AWOL -- but  not before he did some major damage.

Here's another view of it.  Pitiful. Just awful -- a real danger too.

The first guy got 3/4 of the way through.  He knocked down most of the old foundation and started to build up with new block. Lots of old block and rubble fill in what we have now.  He gave up when it came time to take down the stairs.  We never saw  him again.  Guy number two finished the base and built the stairs back up.  We also had him re-do the sidewalk leading up to the porch.

When we were finishing the exterior details, we learned that the job guy number one did propping up the porch completely pulled the overhang from the house.  It had to be re-attached.  That was a job and a half too -- but it's not going anywhere now!

This is the finished product. Guy number three worked with another guy to fix what the others weren't able to see through to the end.  With the iron painted, new posts up to add extra support, new light fixtures, a new mailbox and repaired fencing (it is now white), the house finally has the entrance it deserves.

The house now has two completely rebuilt porches and one that has been completely repaired (that is the back one that's already been shown).  Porches are not a cheap or easy proposition when it comes to repairs and we are very glad that the house is set for many more years in this regard.

ps.  If you look over the front door, you'll see a plaque we had made to commemorate the house's historic status.  It's really cool!