A note, or two, of thanks

My sincere thanks to Phil Spagnolo - the executor of Stratton's estate, who had the confidence in me to be a good steward of the house and property, and Peggy Brady, who handled the closing for Stratton's Estate.  Also, my unfathomable thanks to Maryann O'Connor who so aptly represented me for this purchase with equal parts lawyer, advisor, and mother.  And finally, thanks to my good friends at CitiMortgage who had the patience to see this mortgage through with professionalism and creativity when so many others wouldn't even give it a look.

The Beginning

Well, this is where it begins.  This is the Timothy Halsey House, in Watermill, NY.  Built in 1790, the house is nearly untouched from it's original form...from the "stacked Rubble" foundation to the original hand-hewn timbers and cross beams to the original floor planks held in place by hand-forged iron nails.  Amazing.
  

I bought this house with my partner, Anthony, from an estate.  The prior owner had passed away at 88, over a year earlier. The contents had been sold at an estate sale, and the house had been empty for a year with the plumbing, electric, and heat shut off.  The exterior was overgrown, the house had visible termite damage, and inside was cold and dank.  


So, what possessed me to buy this place?  I'm not sure I have a great answer, other than I really like this stuff.  It's what gets me "jazzed." That is, discovering the history of a place, understanding the mechanics of how it was put together, and restoring and preserving a piece of history.