This Old House

Scott and Erica live in a house that is almost 200 years old. It was built before 1832 but the courthouse where all the records were stored burned that year. Pictures of the area dated 1812 do not show the house. The cedar shake siding was added within the last thirty years. There is pine clapboard siding underneath. The vinyl windows were installed two years ago.

The kitchen floors are twelve inch pine planks. The fireplace does not work. By the way, we installed the new dishwasher on Thursday. The flooring and other aspects of the construction have caused some to wonder if the house was built by a shipbuilder. Ship building has been a prominent part of the local economy since the foundation of the city of Portsmouth which is nearby.

The stairs are steep and shallow, no more than six or seven inches deep.

Note the foundation is stones mortared together. On top of that you find brick. The change in the foundation has caused some to wonder if the house was moved to this location after being built at another location.

This brick archway serves as the foundation for the kitchen fireplace which is directly above. It was once used as a root cellar.

It makes you wonder how many generations have lived in the house? What were their stories? It also gives a perspective on our lives. We are just one link in the chain of generations which the Lord causes to come and go throughout history. Each with its own dreams, hopes and challenges.

Generations come and generations go,but the earth remains forever. Eccl 1:44

Unless the Lord builds the house,its builders labor in vain. Ps 127:1