Once Upon A Time

This is a continuation of the prior post.

Sound logic would have had me check the county records to see who owned the house, and possibly find out other information. Tossing sound logic aside I drove back to the property and knocked on the door of the house closest to the gates.

The curtains were drawn, no one came to the door, and there was not one chair on the big front porch. I had the feeling that no one lived there anymore, but I knew that something was going on due to the sign beside a tree in front of the house.




















As I started back to my car a gentleman came from the house next door. Though I wasn't doing anything wrong I would not have been surprised if he had asked me to leave. Instead he ask if he could help. Well, he just happened to be related to the family that had lived in the house where I had just been. I was so glad that I had not tried to peep through the windows. He was very nice and did not seem to mind my questions. This is what I learned.






















The county dates this tree to be 300 years old. They are trying to save it, but I am concerned that the road will come very close to the roots.


















Children used to scamper, squeal and play under the arbor behind the house. Now it stands unattended.























There is no sign indicating that this tree will be saved, but it does have its own legacy. You can see the cement cover where there was once a well. An acorn found its way to this site and grew into a mature tree. One day without warning the ground gave way and the tree dropped about eight feet into the ground. Dirt was shoveled in around the tree truck to fill the hole and it was expected that the in time the tree would die. That was thirty years ago.



And now the rest of the story

Once upon a time two families lived next door to each other and the husbands and wives were very good friends. Many years went by and each couple lost their spouse - one becoming a widower, and one becoming a widow. To the delight of their children the two later became more than friends, fell in love, were married, and were very happy together. He moved into the house where she lived which was the farm house her ancestors had built in the 1800's.



















After some time the gentleman decided to show his love for her by building a fine home on the grounds where they lived. He wanted her to have a house that would mirror those from an earlier era; a style that he knew she admired. He researched books and talked with professionals to find out all the details, small and large, so the house would be a true replica.

Because it was taking time to gather the information and convert the data to actual plans, he decided that he would go ahead and put in a more substantial set of gates where the path led from the road to the barn located toward the back of the property. They were looking forward to the day when construction would begin on their new home, and even more excited about moving in.













In the lower right hand corner you can see the gates, and the path that ambles to the northwest where a barn used to be. The pathway then goes south between two houses and back to the road.


Some stories do not proceed the way you would choose, and I wish I could change this one. Just before the ground breaking was to occur his lady love took sick and died. He had no interest in going further with the plans in which he had invested so much time and work. This house was to be a present for his wife, and without her it meant nothing. He would rather live in the old farm house where they had shared happiness together.

Time went on and he too passed away. Later their children decided to sell the property to the county for the purpose of developing a park.

Today the gates are closed and padlocked, much the way you bundle your memories and tie them with a blue ribbon.