by Michelle Kimball
article reposted at the request of the author
1780′s House in 9 Mile Point Needs a New Home
The owners of this historic 1780′s home in Nine Mile Point, near Westwego plan to remove the house from the site and sell the property for new construction. The owners have given a local contractor a window of opportunity to try to save this house. This house is 40+ feet deep and 50+ feet wide. It can be moved, or it can be dissambled for reconstruction. The catch is that one of the options must be completed in the next 90 days.
On Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012 an open house will be held 9 am till noon. Please go by and see all the marvelous details and feel the ambiance of this simple and humble home. We’ve seen the house and it is truly a gem!
All components of the original building are cypress and hand hewn! Renovations over the years have added some beaded ceiling and pine flooring over the original in place cypress floor. Some bussilage “stuffing” is evident where some weatherboards are missing. The exterior wall framing shows no evidence of replacement of weatherboards. The visible additions are the kitchen, bath, and probable closing in of the front porch to make sort of a den. The current “front porch” is a slab on grade change. With this change the front became the back and the back became the “front”. Most of the millwork is period and probably original. The French style timberframe trusses in the attic are magnificent. Joinery is all mortise and tenon and peg. Cross sectional measurements of lumber and beams are typical of French colonial construction. See photos of some of the details HERE –> http://www.flickr.com/photos/prc-advocacy/sets/72157628136228450/.
If you could use this home or know someone who could or would like to contribute in any way to saving this house please email PRC staff at mkimball@prcno.org or send this information on to others.
The house is located at 1029 Hidden Lane, Nine Mile Point. It is about 1/2 mile downstream from the H P Long bridge on the West Bank of the river. Look for Wiegand St. off of the river road go back to the 1st intersecting street to the right (Pavo), turn right, stop at the next corner. Hidden Lane is so hidden that it doesn’t appear on maps, so please visit the link below for a MAP of Wiegand Street (Pavo maps as Toreo, which you can see if you zoom in close). http://tinyurl.com/free-house-map
If you have trouble finding the house, email PRC staff at mkimball@prcno.org and we’ll put you in touch with the folks that will be on the site. We will be checking emails and we might even be willing to take a ride to see the house again — it is just THAT GREAT! Here is a peak at some of the old timber framing. Don’t mistake the bussilage “stuffing” between the wood beams for termite damage!
