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The House With Nobody In It - The Inside

By
Real Estate Agent with Real Estate Showcase Photography

 

 


The House With Nobody In It - The Inside

Written by Joyce Kilmer, Published in 1914

Another excerpt:

But a house that has done what a house should do, a house that has sheltered life,
That has put its loving wooden arms around a man and his wife,
A house that has echoed a baby's laugh and held up his stumbling feet,
Is the saddest sight, when it's left alone, that ever your eyes could meet.
 
So whenever I go to Suffern along the Erie track
I never go by the empty house without stopping and looking back,
Yet it hurts me to look at the crumbling roof and the shutters fallen apart,
For I can't help thinking the poor old house is a house with a broken heart.



This is the second post about this old homestead near Wetmore, Colorado, and a second excerpt from the poem by Joyce Kilmer, 1886-1918. To see the first post, click here. To read the entire poem, click here

( For Sharon Tara , who asked to see the inside :)

 

These are shots of another angle of the outside, and the interior.

The House With Nobody In It

The window above looks into the kitchen, accessed through the front porch on the right.

The door below leads into the living room, or perhaps a dining room. Interestingly, there are 3 doors on that side of the house. A shot of that side, showing the three doors, is in the original post.

The House With Nobody In It

The kitchen. You can see where wiring had been brought in at some point for electricity.

The House With Nobody In It

I was surprised to find there was still furniture in the house. I wonder when it last held a family...

The House With Nobody In It

This door leads from the kitchen to the living room.

The House With Nobody In It

The photo below shows where the floor of the second story bedroom has fallen, and the old bedsprings that had rested on the floor, went down with it. That bedroom was accessed from the upstairs hallway, and a second bedroom is behind the opposite door.

The House With Nobody In It

Looking through a second story window at the sky.

The House With Nobody In It

A corner of the living room shows where the room had been painted at least twice.

The House With Nobody In It

And here you can see where the home had originally been insulated with paper.

The House With Nobody In It

It seemed to me that this old place had been loved for a very long time. There was evidence of many changes over the years to make it more comfortable. 'Upgrades', if you will. How excited the family must have been at each improvement....

 

All of these photos were taken from windows or doorways. I did not go inside. First it may not have been safe, and secondly it seemed somehow 'wrong', (I can't really explain it), aside from the fact that it is not my property, and I had no right to do so. I just wanted to document it, not 'invade' it.

 

 

 

 

Jim Frimmer
HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA
Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

I'm glad you didn't go inside. It looks flat-out dangerous. We have a couple of neighborhood "haunted houses" here. The story behind one of them was quite interesting; Russel did a post on it in September 2008 here at ActiveRain.

I love that poem.

Jan 29, 2010 10:51 AM
Jenny Kotulak
RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc., Brokerage - Oakville, ON
Broker - Oakville Ontario Real Estate

Wow Debi, for not even entering the house, you certainly captured the essence of it.  Is that cupboard what they used to call a jam cupboard? 

Re: Charles' comment :

Debi, this house has crossed over from needing a home inspector to needing an artist:)

It found the artist - You!!

Jan 29, 2010 01:08 PM
Peter and Dawn Smith
Circle Shot Media - Vancouver, WA

Hello Debi,

Wow, what an incredible post.  The photo's give a hint to the life of the home.  I will never look at another abandoned house the same!  Great photo's.  I don't know how you receive awards on ActiveRain, but this post deserves one.  Have a great night.

Dawn

Jan 29, 2010 03:21 PM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

Hi Debi,

A wonderful series of interior photographs to go with the great exterior and poem that explains it all. The quality, color and texture and LIGHT is so exciting me as I imagine one day of having the skill to be able to capture similar.

 

Jan 29, 2010 03:26 PM
Robert Vegas Bob Swetz
Las Vegas, NV

Hello Debi and you have captured some very wonderful photographs of this old house and found yourself a feature at ....

EXPRESS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS AT ACTIVERAIN

VB ;o)

Jan 29, 2010 04:11 PM
Kirsten Lindquist
Pacific Union International - Sonoma, CA
Realtor - Sonoma Wine Country

Debi:  Beautiful images and interesting comments.  I see the house as a beautiful metaphor for endurance despite the ravages of passing time.

Jan 29, 2010 06:02 PM
Rob Thomas
Prestige Homes of The Tri Cities, Inc. CALL....423-341-6954 - Bristol, TN
Bristol TN-VA & Tri Cities Agent, ABR, GRI, e-Pro

Looks like a foreclosure I just drove by...just kidding. When I see these...I just sit back and wonder what it looked like when it was built and how anyone could just let it go.

Jan 29, 2010 10:47 PM
Robin Rogers
Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas - San Antonio, TX
CRS, TRC, MRP - Real Estate Investment Adviser

Great photos, Debi! I can tell you are making the most of your camera and software. Not to mention your considerable skills!

Cheers,

Robin

Jan 30, 2010 05:23 AM
Emelyn Morris-Sayre
The Berkshire Group - Lakewood, CO
CRS, REALTOR, Lakewood/Denver 303-517-5116

debi - I so love old buildings and love to imagine the people and their lives that existed and shared the place. Your photos capture so much.

Jan 30, 2010 09:07 AM
Sharon Lee
Sharon Lee's Virtual Assistance - Jonesborough, TN
Retired and loving life

Hi Debi-You find the most interesting and unusual things. That old home probably had a lot of love. It does look a little drafty right now. <SMILE>

Jan 30, 2010 01:53 PM
Jennifer Fivelsdal
JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY
Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection

Debi thanks for the tour, I do like exploring places like this.  As usual your photos are awesome.

Jan 31, 2010 03:20 PM
John Mayer
Oikos Realty, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach Florida - Cocoa Beach, FL
Your Beach Area Expert

Debi - Every photo could grace a gallery's walls and what a great poem. We can only speculate about who lived there and the laughter (or sadness) within.

Jan 31, 2010 05:32 PM
Debi Boucher
Real Estate Showcase Photography - Woodland Park, CO
"Realtor Showcase" - Real Estate Photography/Virtual Tours

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for your visitis and comments! I have been away for a few days, so I apologize for not getting back to you all. I am glad you enjoyed seeing the photos of this old home :)

Debi

Feb 01, 2010 02:30 AM
DEBORAH STONE
Balboa Real Estate San Diego, CA - San Diego, CA

Debi

These are truly creative shots and they tell a story. I am glad you did not go inside it...I was wondering about that.

Feb 01, 2010 03:21 AM
Deena Cottingham
GreenApple Staging & Images, Calgary Staging & Photography - Calgary, AB
Home Stager & Photographer

I know . . . it makes me wonder about the people who lived a life there, and the history in that place. You've captured that pensiveness so well, Debi!

Feb 01, 2010 03:55 PM
Debi Boucher
Real Estate Showcase Photography - Woodland Park, CO
"Realtor Showcase" - Real Estate Photography/Virtual Tours

Deborah & Deena - Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the story :)

Debi

Feb 02, 2010 01:45 AM
Ann Hayden 636-399-7544
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties-St. Louis Missouri - Des Peres, MO
SelectAnn.com

Debi,

I think I have been in this house.....in Missouri.

Ann Hayden in Wildwood, MO

Feb 02, 2010 02:07 AM
Debi Boucher
Real Estate Showcase Photography - Woodland Park, CO
"Realtor Showcase" - Real Estate Photography/Virtual Tours

Ann - LOL! And in Kansas, and in Texas, and in.....

Debi

Feb 02, 2010 04:14 AM
Diane Williams
Pell City, AL

Debi, This was a really neat post, as always you did a beautiful job. I enjoyed it very much.

Feb 11, 2010 08:34 AM
Debi Boucher
Real Estate Showcase Photography - Woodland Park, CO
"Realtor Showcase" - Real Estate Photography/Virtual Tours

Hello Diane - Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for stopping by :)

Debi

Feb 11, 2010 10:56 AM