1248 Connecticut Street

A major exterior paint job is drawing attention to the Queen Anne house at 1248 Connecticut. Stella Provias, a local realtor, has lived there with her partner Shane Powers and their three children for more than 5 years. When she purchased the house, it needed painting inside and out. She lights up with passion when speaking about her home. “I’ve always been fascinated with older houses,” she says. “I’ve always felt most comfortable and at home in them.” 

Provias remembered this home from when she arrived in Lawrence in 1995 to attend KU. At that time, it was a rental where a friend resided. She was enamored with the home the moment she walked in. “Never in a million years did I think I would someday own it,” she says now. 

She reached out to the Watkins Museum several years ago to learn more about the house’s history. She was given the following clipping, dated January 1, 1901, from the Lawrence Daily Journal: 

“Prof Charles Vickrey’s house at the corner of Lee and Connecticut streets was another one of the more expensive homes built this year. The house is a two-story frame structure, with modern conveniences, and cost about $4,000. It is a very great improvement to the part of town in which it was erected.” 

Shortly after purchasing it, Provias had the interior plaster and lath repaired and painted. The exterior took more thought and effort. “I obsessed about the colors for over two years,” she remembers. “I was constantly researching online, driving around town and asking my friends about what the color combination should be.” 

Researching online, she stumbled upon the Bair-Stokes House, an 1888 Queen Anne Victorian in Arcata, California. Its enchanting dark purple siding, midnight blue trim and gold accents inspired her. 

After a couple of failed attempts with house painters, Provias met Gregory Collins of Absolute Painting. “The crew was awesome,” she says, “and we got to know those guys really well.” The work started last fall and was done by December. 

The color scheme was a bold decision, and for the most part people have responded favorably to the dark, nontraditional colors. The spindles and fret work on the front porch along with the gable ornamentation are beautiful. The vibrant hues demand your attention. Most importantly, Provias loves it. “I wanted an eye-catching, dramatic but still refined color combination that passersby would notice,” she says. “It’s captivating, it excites me, and it feels right.”

936 Kentucky Street

Anyone driving south on Kentucky Street near downtown in the last month has likely noticed ongoing work at the home of longtime LPA member James Dunn. For a while, the huge, fluted column on the south corner was gone and the porch roof was braced to the ground. Now the column is back in place and the north column is removed and braced. A thorough and careful maintenance and rehabilitation program of the front porch and veranda is well underway.

The Wheeler-Stuart House (KHRI 045-466) is a two-story Colonial Revival built in 1903 that is a contributing property to the Oread Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. The original brick portion showcases a full-length covered front porch. When a south addition of stucco, two stories tapering to one, was added circa 1925 (a second addition, to the rear, was built later), the porch floor was extended as well.

Sometime in the early 1900s, the property was converted to a tearoom and boarding house, and the Colonial Tea Room, which lasted until around 1947, was born. By the time James and his wife Nancy bought the house in 1967, the apartments and rented rooms remained, and James has lived here, managing the rented rooms and his other apartment properties, since then.

Without protection from the elements, the exposed flooring in front of the stucco addition had deteriorated to the point that James worried about its safety. The handrail also needed to be rebuilt. Once Cecil Construction, (Ryan Cecil, principal), who James has worked with for several years—including at 916 Kentucky, a 2018 LPA PIP award winner—was on the job, they quickly realized that the framing underneath the floor needed replacement as well, due to rot and termite damage. The brick pier under the southwest corner of the porch also needed to be rebuilt.

Mason Steve Haines disassembled the brick pier, poured a new concrete one, and wrapped it with brick. Cecil Construction team members replaced the framing and installed a new floor. Their extra thought and care are evident in the design they chose for the handrail balusters and their attachment to the lower rail. The top face of the lower rail is cut at a pitch, so it sheds water easily. The bottom of each baluster is notched to fit the pitched angle of the lower rail, and all components are primed on all sides prior to installation. These are the types of design decisions one should make when working with modern wood, which has more vulnerabilities than the old-growth lumber that carpenters of yesteryear employed.

The work on the veranda side is now complete and the project scope is heading towards the north corner. Congratulations to James Dunn and the Cecil Construction team for a job well done.

1238 Rhode Island Street

In the South Rhode Island and New Hampshire Street Historic District, Toni and Walt Clogston are spearheading an ambitious restoration of a circa-1870 vernacular gable-front-and-wing National Folk house. The project involves a complete overhaul of the property inside and out, with the goal of transforming what was once a triplex back into a single-family home. Records indicate that the house, which over time had accumulated several additions, may have served as a three-dwelling unit since at least 1887.

The Clogstons embarked on this journey after completing a previous rehab on New Hampshire Street and were drawn to this project due to its proximity to their primary residence and its location within a historic district, which provides an opportunity to use historic tax credits for projects like this.

They anticipated major foundation work but were taken aback by the extent of the damage. The wood sill plate needed replacement and other parts of the framing had also suffered from rot and termite damage. Fortunately, dedicated professionals Mike Myers of Hernly Associates, general contractor Kyle Weiland of Stonehouse Construction and mason Karl Ramberg and his team have designed the proper structural repairs and work is well underway.

Walt and Toni have spent time at the Spencer Research Library learning more about their property, designated in the National Register of Historic Places as the Campbell House, after one-time homeowners William and Helen Campbell. New questions were generated by work on the project, such as why the rafters in an upper-level ceiling are charred. No answers on that one yet, though they have checked old Fire Department records in their effort to find out.

The foundation work is looking great but still is a work in progress as structural and drainage issues are addressed inside and outside the house. Then it’s on to the next phase of the process. The Clogstons anticipate an 18-month timeline for completion.

Drawing from the couple’s prior experience with rehabilitation projects, Toni offers valuable advice. She emphasizes the importance of selecting trustworthy contractors who share your vision and recommends having a substantial contingency budget. Toni and Walt know that preservation work demands resilience in the face of unexpected challenges, sometimes making it a labor of love.

Thanks to their unwavering commitment and the expertise and skills of their chosen professionals, 1238 Rhode Island is being meticulously restored to its former glory. This will be a fun project to keep an eye on as it moves along.

Oak Hill Cemetery

COURTESY OF THE WATKINS MUSEUM OF HISTORY

The history of Lawrence is evident in many places across the city, but perhaps none richer and more memorable than the grounds of Oak Hill Cemetery, established in 1865 on a 40-acre plot in part to provide a proper final resting place for those who had died in Quantrill’s Raid two years earlier.

In 2017, a small group of citizens led by Shannon Hodges, concerned about years of deterioration of the grounds, monuments and markers, formed the Friends of Oak Hill Cemetery and began working with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department on cleaning up the cemetery. 

The group incorporated in 2019 and began cleanup efforts, but its work recently has accelerated after completing a merger—facilitated by LPA Board member Sarah Bishop of Coneflower Consulting—with the Douglas County Historical Society. Now the DCHS Oak Hill Cemetery Programing Committee is making transformational headway in bringing the cemetery back to a level the community can be proud of.

Oak Hill uses a Rural Cemetery design that was a popular movement in the East but still cutting-edge in the Midwest when Holland Wheeler, the county surveyor and later city engineer, laid out the first plat in 1868. Wheeler continued to be a principal figure at the cemetery until his death in 1920. The Rural Cemetery design emphasized retaining natural landscape features such as rolling hillsides and mature trees, with meandering roadways provided for access. Expansions in 1886 and 1918 stayed true to that design.

Historic Resources Administrator Lynne Zollner wrote a nomination for the cemetery to the Lawrence Register of Historic Places in 2016. City and state funds were then combined to fund a National Register nomination, written by Julia Manglitz, which won approval for listing in 2017.

COURTESY OF THE WATKINS MUSEUM OF HISTORY

Friends of Oak Hill Cemetery began with a goal of fundraising for restoration efforts, promoting greater community awareness, and coordinating volunteer hands-on opportunities for grounds cleanup and marker preservation. Last October, the Oak Hill Cemetery Program Committee began working in partnership with Pacific Coast Conservation (PCC), based in Colorado and led by Lucinda Linderman. 

Funded by City of Lawrence Capital Improvement Plan funds, a grant from the Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council, and private donations raised by the committee, PCC is concentrating its efforts on marker preservation for Quantrill’s victims as well as repair of broken headstones or those categorized as unsafe or unstable. This PCC work is complemented by monthly Sunday workdays, when Programming  Committee members work alongside community volunteers to clean select stones and markers.

Interested volunteers can email Watkins Museum staffer and Programming Committee spokesperson Natalie Vondrack at nvondrak@watkinsmuseum.org. LPA thanks go out to committee chair Rosalea Postma-Carttar and committee members Denise Pettengill, Leslie Beesley, Grace Aubrey, Peter Carttar, Kerry Altenbernd and Kathryn Nemeth-Tuttle for their dedicated work.

733 Tennessee Street

COURTESY OF AMANDA SANTOS

In May of last year, Amanda and Eddie Santos achieved a dream when they purchased this prominent Victorian-style home across the street from the Lawrence Outdoor Aquatic Center. Built in 1894, the home was first occupied by jewelry store owner Frank Hester, his wife and daughter Nina, and Nina lived in the home into the 1980s. The Santos, just the fourth owners of the home, could see that the structure retained much of its original architectural integrity.

Porch repair was an immediate need. Unlike most porch repair projects, the structural failure involved the roof framing rather than the floor. The roof joists were separating and needed to be completely rebuilt. Amanda had noticed an LPA PIP sign in a neighbor’s yard last fall and read in the LPA Instagram project writeup that it had benefited from the Kansas Historic Tax Credit. She knew that 733 Tennessee was a contributing property in the Old West Lawrence Historic District, so she contacted the Kansas Historical Society (785-272-8681) and spoke with Mallory Aye, a tax credit specialist.

Individually listed properties on the State or National registers, or contributing properties within State or Federal Historic Districts, are eligible to use the credits, with a $5,000 minimum project cost to qualify.

COURTESY OF AMANDA SANTOS

After paying a $200 application fee, the wait for design approval before work could begin took just two weeks, though up to a month is sometimes necessary if the office is overwhelmed with applications. Needing a local building permit, the project received administrative approval by Lawrence’s Historic Resources Administrator without requiring a full hearing at the Historic Resources Commission.

Jordan Brenn of Brenn Luxury Homes did a great job on the repair project, including matching the decorative detail at the end of each roof joist. With the porch now repaired, the house awaits a full paint job this summer that will also be covered by the tax credit, which will reimburse 25% of approved costs. 

In some extensive rehabs—and commercial ones using both state and federal credits—the tax credit process is best accomplished with the help of a tax credit consultant. But the Santos tax credit process did just fine as a DIY. “As long as you follow the instructions, it’s pretty simple,” Amanda says. “I would definitely encourage people to do this. We are contributing to the preservation of our shared history.”

11 E 8th Street

COURTESY OF EVAN HOLT & MARY HOLT

A dedicated rehabilitation team led by Evan Holt and Mary Holt has breathed new life into this commercial building in downtown Lawrence. After over a year of work, two businesses—Grounded Coffee and Henry’s Upstairs—are benefiting from all the work done inside and out.

Originally constructed as two separate buildings in 1870, the structure is now a cohesive brick-faced two-part commercial block. Inside, removal of a drop ceiling, sheetrock partition walls and layers of patchwork materials revealed the historic building’s original character.

A beautiful open floor plan is now featured on the street level, where Grounded Coffee is located, with two bathrooms and a mechanical room separated in the back. 

The second floor, home of Henry’s Upstairs, still retains its residential apartment-like layout. The addition of pine floors, trim and windows in the mid-20th century gave the space warmth and charm that has been enhanced by the current work. While now supporting use as a bar, rehabilitation work has been carefully performed to ensure a harmonious blend of past and present.

Electrical and plumbing systems throughout the building now meet modern standards. Non-historic lighting systems were replaced with energy-efficient ones. Existing historic fixtures were cleaned and reinstalled. Historic hardware was carefully restored.

COURTESY OF EVAN HOLT & MARY HOLT

The exterior’s brick and native limestone surfaces had seen some rough treatment over the years and required extra care. Vines that had climbed the walls for decades—causing masonry damage both by their attachment and holding moisture in the facade—were removed. Original street-level window openings on the alley side that had been closed for years with concrete blocks were restored. All masonry surfaces were cleaned and tuckpointed.

The storefront facing Eighth Street was cleaned, repaired and painted, with new metal windows installed that were consistent with the historic architectural style. Wood windows upstairs were repaired. The project is using both the Kansas Historic Tax Credit as well as the Federal Credit for income-producing properties, reimbursing up to 45% of qualifying rehab costs.

Historic Downtown Lawrence is now one storefront stronger thanks to this thorough and painstaking effort by Evan and Mary!

718 Ohio Street Detached Garage

Fascinating architecture and local history are evident to anyone walking the sidewalks of neighborhoods located within Lawrence’s original urban core. The same is true of alleys and the structures along them. Tim and Alee Phillips spent 2020 doing a full rehab of the little house at 718 Ohio, but this year they turned to the detached structure out back, with the goal of using it as a 1½- car garage. After consulting with city Historic Resources Administrator Lynne Zollner and knowing about the availability of Kansas’ 25 percent historic tax credit, they decided to tackle this second rehab project.

718 OHIO DETACHED GARAGE

The house was built in 1910, but evidence uncovered during its rehab suggests a portion of it is older. The date of the detached structure is unknown. Longtime neighbors told the Phillips that the previous owner, Henry Johnson, had stored an old car in it for as long as they could recall—but no garage door opening was evident. When the panel and batt siding was removed to uncover original siding underneath, an opening on the west wall was revealed that was similar to the still-existing barn door on the east (alley) side.

The cracked foundation slab was removed, revealing that the original sill plate was laid on stacked bricks. That forced the couple to increase the concrete portion of their budget for a more substantial alternative.

COURTESY OF ALEE PHILLIPS

Hickory Ridge Construction (Matt Mozier, principal), the same contractor that did the rehab work on the house, performed all the carpentry work. New framing supports were added, and new cypress drop siding installed in areas where previous siding had been removed or was not salvageable. Matt relied on Woodhaven in Perry, Kansas to provide an expert match to the profile of the original material. Spyderart was the concrete contractor. Mike Myers of Hernly Associates provided architectural services.

A fun aspect of the project is that the barn door, with original hardware refurbished by Tim and Alee, still functions, though it does have a full wall behind it and is no longer an opening to the structure.

Stories of our history are embedded in structures both magnificent and humble. Humble stories are often most vulnerable to being lost over time, due to their nature. LPA appreciates this effort that preserves those stories for a modest alley structure while providing a daily function for a modern family.

816 Rhode Island Street

816 Rhode Island Street

This one-story gable-front and wing national folk residence, a contributing property in the North Rhode Island Street Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, is doing just fine these days after decades of being down on its luck. Built in 1867, it already had lost its original front porch by the time the district was designated in 2004, and any repairs made in the time since were of the “make-do” variety. Most repair needs simply went unmet.

By 2021 a new owner proposed to demolish the structure and replace it with new construction. When the Historic Resources Commission (HRC) denied that application, the property was sold again, this time to Chris Cunningham, one of the principals in CT Design + Development. While this firm is relatively new, its partners have years of experience in Lawrence.

The property presented a difficult set of design issues because the historic structure, in addition to being in very rough shape, was so small that building an addition that could not be seen from the public right of way—an important goal for any addition to a listed property—would leave the builder with an addition too small for it to be a feasible project.

Chris’ initial design featured a modern two-story addition at the rear of the house that would use floor-to-ceiling glass on the east and west facades of the portion that extended beyond the existing structure and thus would be completely in view from the street. The glass look, desirable in modern design, would also make the addition less imposing to the historic structure from the street view than a solid wall construction would. It was enough to interest the HRC, and with one further adjustment on that portion of the addition—changing the second level to an outdoor deck with a fireplace—the project won HRC approval.

COURTESY OF CHRIS CUNNINGHAM

Cunningham partnered with Landon Harness (Form & Function)—a previous PIP winner—to bring the project to life. For the old structure, “straightening, leveling, and making it ready to stand for another 150 years was certainly an undertaking,” he says. The speculative nature of the project was vindicated when, two months before completion, it went under contract to a new owner excited to move in.

Just one year ago, 816 Rhode Island was a historic property nearing its end with seemingly nowhere to go but down. LPA congratulates the entire project team for finding a way to save this National Register historic property.

2235 East Street

2235 East Street

Tucked away in a pocket of Lawrence that most “townies” don’t even know about, the marvelous home known as Roanoke has been undergoing a careful and thoughtful update by new owners Andrew Sexton and Julia Ireland. LPA has noticed exterior painting work being done there, as well as some Facebook posts by the owners, who purchased the property in December 2020. But for the most part, East (and West) Drive, nestled between Vermont and Tennessee and just north of 23rd Street, isn’t an area that many vehicles or pedestrians pass by.

This Queen Anne Cottage, built in 1894 by Alexander Shaw & Son, served as the primary home of Martha Gillette Babcock, widow of Carmi Babcock, Lawrence’s first Postmaster General and second mayor. A real estate investor, Babcock had purchased a large tract of land south of 14th Street, which became known as Babcock’s Addition as early as 1858. He and Martha married in 1866, and this home was built to replace a prior house that was destroyed by fire. The only structures in the immediate vicinity older than this home are the two stone structures just to its west—a barn/carriage house and a workers’ house—that remain from the previous house and now sit on the property of 2239 West Drive.

THIS HISTORIC BARN/CARRIAGE HOUSE AND WORKERS' HOUSE AT 2239 WEST DRIVE STILL REMAIN FROM CARMI BABCOCK'S FIRST HOUSE THAT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE AND ARE THE OLDEST REMAINING STRUCTURES IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.

Andrew and Julia have worked hard to inform their design updates with historical research, including consultations with archivists at the Watkins Museum of History and communications with previous owners, including one family—three owners prior—who lived here for 30 years. They even took time to learn about historically accurate color palettes for their home before tackling the seven-color paint job.

Plumbing and electrical updates were necessary, along with repairing, sanding and refinishing the main staircase and refurbishing the original hardwood floors throughout. Many hours were spent repairing the original windows—including original weights and cords—so they all open easily again. Outdated wallpaper is in process of being removed, and plaster walls repaired and painted.

Landscaping improvements have included removal of extraneous railroad ties and concrete while adding grass and butterfly gardens. During this work, Andrew and Julia discovered a 7,500-gallon brick cistern in good condition and are developing plans to use it for landscaping irrigation.

A highlight for Andrew and Julia is the complete remodeling of the kitchen, with a more user-friendly layout, new custom cabinetry, more storage areas, and the addition of a large walk-in pantry.

2235 EAST DRIVE

Curious to learn more about the antique carriage lamps that were being used as porch lights but hadn’t worked in ages, they found out from the family that had lived here for 30 years that the lamps were originally powered by candlelight and were salvaged from that owner’s grandfather’s barn in Marion, Iowa. One of the owners at the time, a KU professor, worked with the shop department at KU to electrify them and the head of the shop department presented them to the homeowners as a housewarming gift. Now the lamps are glowing once again!

Of course, there’s always more work to do, but Andrew and Julia enjoy appreciating the house’s history while respectfully adding their own stories to it. “As caretakers of this historic home,” they say, ”it is important to us to maintain its beauty and integrity while making improvements and needed repairs. The quality of this home is unmatched by today’s standards, and it was truly built to last. There have been generations of families living within these walls during times when our country was very different. This home is more to us than just a place to live. It is a living history that we get to be a part of.”

Turnhalle - 900 Rhode Island Street

Turnhalle - 900 Rhode Island Street

Turnhalle is coming back! After being vacant and shuttered from the public for the past nine years, this landmark (1869) German American community building is about to be the subject of a major rehabilitation project.

Local business owners Zarif and Mamie Haque purchased the property from developer Tony Krsnich in March. Krsnich had purchased it from LPA in 2014 but was unable to find a way to bring the property back to daily use with a new tenant. The Haques have hired local preservation design firm Hernly Associates to help them plan and coordinate a rehabilitation project that will pass historic review and use both federal and Kansas historic tax credit programs. Planning documents have been filed with the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Department, and it will be an agenda item for the Historic Resources Commission—with LPA support—on August 18. The Haques plan to return the Turnhalle to its original use as an entertainment venue and community social center.

The architect team of Stan Hernly and Mike Myers are very aware of the significance of this project. “I’m excited that we’ve been entrusted to create the plans for Turnhalle’s rehabilitation as a surviving cultural artifact from another generation,” Mike says. “Older buildings have often seen so many disparate uses that one must peel back several layers of material to discover the true nature and original configuration. With Turnhalle, there are no extra layers of anything. It’s as if it has been suspended in time since the Lawrence Turnverein sold it in 1938.”

In addition to repair of character-defining features, a key component of the project will be to install modern plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling systems, as well as safety systems like fire suppression, elevators, stairs and ramps—and doing all this in ways that won’t damage historic materials or compromise historic integrity.

One new component of the plan is a small two-story addition behind the east end of the building that will house accessible bathrooms, kitchen prep and greenroom areas that can support the mixed-use performance and event space the new owners envision. The addition is appropriately sized and will keep those essential activities out of the main hall interior and the stage, while allowing the use to be very similar to its original historic one.

Protecting the Turnhalle as a viable rehab candidate has been a prime focus of LPA since 2012, when it purchased the property because of grave concerns about its failing condition. LPA led a stabilization project, largely funded by a Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council grant, that corrected a major structural defect between the stone and wood frame sections of the building and addressed numerous water infiltrations. In 2018, with Turnhalle still in need of a larger project to return it to public use, LPA intervened again by purchasing the parking lot across 9th Street to preserve a parking option in hopes that a time like this would come.

Stan Hernly recognizes these efforts that gave Turnhalle another decade of life and a chance to come back. “Lawrence is really lucky to have retained this building for so long when its use since the 1930s has been so marginal,” he says. “It could easily have been demolished or fallen so deeply into disrepair that rehabilitation would have been prohibitive.”

It's possible that “preservation in progress” couldn’t happen to a more deserving building in Lawrence right now. LPA’s thanks and best wishes go out to Zarif and Mamie Haque for taking it on and making it happen.

1313 Massachusetts Street

1313 Massachusetts St

Anyone driving down Massachusetts Street near South Park probably has noticed the work going on at 1313 Massachusetts Street, immediately south of the Castle Tea Room. We certainly have.

The small house at this address has been vacant since 2006, and there were questions whether rehabilitation or demolition would be the next step for this property. But now new owner (and LPA board member) Pat Watkins—after a thorough and painstaking project—is putting the finishing touches on a sweet house that he brought back from death’s doorstep.

This gable-front National Folk-style house has more than a next-door connection with the John N. Roberts House, now known as the Castle Tea Room. Built in 1870, 1313 Massachusetts was sold in 1873 by John and Emily Roberts, who would later build the castle as their personal residence. After several twists and turns involving different owners—including Roberts again in 1898—and several small additions and changes over time, the two properties became connected by ownership again when Libuse Kriz Fiorito and her husband Louis purchased them in 1947 in an effort to save the deteriorating Roberts home. Libby Fiorito opened the Castle Tea Room and ran the restaurant herself until her death in 2004.

Today 1313 Massachusetts is listed on the Register of Kansas Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places. The register nomination, written by Stan Hernly and available here, is a fascinating read about the lineage of ownership and different architectural styles implemented with each addition—the predominant one being the Craftsman style evident in the entry foyer, a triple window, two dormers and the remodeled kitchen.

Windows are a spectacular feature of the house, and every component of every window has been restored. It’s one of Pat’s favorite features of the home because of all the light they bring inside. Another aspect of this project that received major attention was the foundation masonry. Kyle Weiland of Stonehouse Construction personally oversaw the removal and restacking of the stones and leveling of the floor above them in a particularly complex and technical task. Now newly painted a beautiful shade of blue, the house looks great, and one can appreciate the added value of the Castle’s courtyard and historic fountain complementing it immediately next door.

This property is projected for office or short-term rental use and is using both the 25% Kansas Historic Tax Credit and 20% Federal Historic Tax Credit programs to help cover the expenses of working on a historic registered property. Part of Pat’s law practice is providing historic tax credit consulting services, so that was one subcontractor he didn’t have to search for. Keep an eye out for an LPA Old House Warming open house sometime this fall as a part of Pat’s well-deserved celebrations in successfully completing this project. We’ll let you know when a date is set. Driving by is fun, but we can’t wait to see this project up close.

1111 E. 19th Street

ROBERT H MILLER HOUSE

It’s a fact: historic structures have longer lives than the humans who occupy them. It’s one reason why we often hear owners of historic properties refer to themselves as caretakers. This is certainly the case with longtime LPA members Dennis and Judy Dailey, who have wrapped up 38 years of ownership of the Robert H. Miller House (1858) at 1111 E. 19th Street, just east of Haskell Avenue. But Dennis and Judy may not have realized this in 1984 when, while searching for a house closer to the KU campus, they happened to see a tiny homemade “for sale” sign in the yard as they passed by.

Having both experienced farm (Judy) and small town (Dennis) life growing up in Minnesota, the Daileys were beckoned by the stately Colonial Foursquare on five urban acres as they first turned into the drive. “This is it!” Judy remembers thinking as they knocked on the door. Minutes later they were talking with owner Dorothy Eller, who had just had the property listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was asking them questions that seemed designed to determine if they could be appropriate owners of the house.

DENNIS & JUDY DAILEY

Discovering the property’s connection to the Underground Railroad early on (the Millers had been very successful farmers in South Carolina but moved from the state because of their anti-slavery views) and its significance to Quantrill’s Raid (Quantrill visited the house on his way into town but spared it) the Daileys were determined to learn as much as they could about the Millers. Spencer Research Library proved to be a great start, but when they connected with Miller’s great-great-granddaughter, Carol Manley, and met with her in Des Moines, they found a treasure trove of family photo albums and files that filled in the blanks. In fact, Dennis has written about this history in Dennis Domer’s book Embattled Lawrence Vol. 2, soon to be available to the public.

All the while, there was still this house and small farm to run and family life to live. Dennis remembers taking a couple dozen round hay bales every year from the south pasture. The Daileys rebuilt the cupola on the barn (1910 and listed on the National Register), and even found an appropriate motor and fan for the windmill. The big project came in 2006: rebuilding a failed brick wall system on the west wall and making other structural repairs. State tax credits and a Kansas Heritage Trust Fund grant helped defray considerable expense as the Daileys lived for a year in a construction zone.

MILLER BARN

When a teacher friend asked if they could bring their class out on a field trip, Dennis showed the students around, sharing with them the rich history and purpose of each outbuilding. A tradition was born: two or three classes each year, typically third graders, coming out by bus to visit and learn. Students most enjoyed trying to wrap their heads around the idea of the hand-dug well and the outhouse.

A few years ago, the interior stairs and outdoor chores began to hint to Dennis and Judy that their time of caretaking this historic property was coming to an end. Longtime collectors, they had been working with a trusted family friend to find new owners for some of those precious belongings. The Daileys approached their friend about the property itself and suggested a purchase price that was accepted. This friend, as an interim owner, is now entrusted with finding the next owner who will cherish the history, commit to continued agricultural use of the pasture, and care for the house and outbuildings. It’s preservation in progress.

While the Daileys now live in an apartment on the west side of town, their thoughts are never far from the Miller place. But someone else will have to be the next person to respond to a knock on the door to see a stranger, car parked behind, saying hello and—true story—asking, “What time is the museum open?”

Thanks for a great run, Dennis and Judy!