This is a different vein of Abandoned Vermont; this house in Windsor is not found down a dirt road or in a small, sleepy town. Instead, it is easily spotted from US Route 5, located within the Windsor Historic District.
Abandoned house in Windsor, VT.
While it is not exactly abandoned (it is bank owned, I believe), this poor house is boarded up, vacant, a victim of fire, and left for further demolition by neglect – it seems. It has seen better days, obviously – days filled with historic integrity. Now it would probably be determined to be a non-contributing structure in the historic district.
Asphalt brick siding, asphalt shingle roof, replacement windows all contribute to a loss of integrity.
While loss of integrity to one building is a worthwhile discussion, there is a more important issue relating to this house. What greater effect will the loss of integrity have on the character of the historic district?
What is the best option? Complete restoration of a historic structure? This isn’t a house (in my opinion) that someone will look at, love immediately and dream of restoring. Of course, that is not to say that a determined visionary could not take on the project. And who knows, removing that fake brick siding could help give the building a new face. Some buildings have the luxury of being loved, even in their most deteriorated states, but often such simple vernacular structures are not as fortunate. If it is determined to be a non-contributing structure, would demolition and sympathetic infill be the best option?
This house probably had a slate roof in its prime.
What was anyone ever thinking? Asphalt shingles made to look like brick? I have never seen this look good on a building.
Does this house stand a better chance of a second life because it is in a historic district of a larger town? Or is it more at risk for demolition? What do you think?
I can see it going either way. Rescuing and restoring a house in a historic district seems to have a better potential for property values. However, the property may be worth more than the structure as-is. Not knowing the state of the house interior, it is could be too far gone for someone to want to tackle.
Due to the loss of integrity, this could be a situation in which loss of a now non-contributing structure will not affect the historic district, but what goes in its place can have a positive or negative effect.
How often do you come across similar abandoned structures? What do you think about the fate of this building and the impacts to the historic district?
This house has so much potential. I hope some will love it back to life. It would be a shame to see it torn down.
Yes, it certainly does, especially considering its neighborhood. Sadly, the house looks better from the front than the other elevations, which show significant damage.
Hello, I have been fascinated by this house since I was a little kid. When I was about 7, my parents and I would often go to the Windsor Diner. I would always watch for the house, wondering what was inside, and why it was abandoned. There used to be two other houses next to this house, but they were torn down a few years ago. I hated to see them go. I then decided that I was going to restore it when I grew up. Little did I know how many more houses there were like this that also needed to be restored.
Some history of the house:
This house, along with the two other houses next to it, were all built in 1889. It did originally have a slate roof.
My Grandfather did oil work here in the 1940s after he was discharged from WWII. It was a well built house in it’s day.
All three of these houses are Brownfields sites. They suffered soil contamination, and all three have had hazardous waste removed. That could be the reason they were abandoned.
The other two houses were torn down around 2006-07.
I did get to look in the window of this house once. It was In pretty good shape. All the furniture was there, even the pictures were still hanging on the wall…
I hope that this house will eventually be restored to its former glory.
Hope I helped,
Ryan MacLeay
Ryan, Thank you for sharing. I love when readers can offer information about properties. Although you didn’t get this house like you imagined as a child, I hope you found another house to restore. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for this one.
One can adore, photograph, dream about abandonded buildings/barns. I know I do. My blog is filled with aging barns, ancient stone walls, and dreamy landscapes, often photographed from the back of a fine quarter horse.
The reality of saving these buildings is the expense. And will they have a renewed purpose if restored? US Farming has taken a real hit in the last century and these fine structures no longer have purpose. Too bad so many things in life come down to the almighty dollar! Therefore I do my part and document via photography these beauties that one day will be no more.
Question is, will blogs be around for posterity?
Ah, the eternal digital posterity question. I have no idea, but I wonder the same thing.
As for barns and agricultural buildings, they are often a challenge to rehabilitate and/or adapt to new uses. It takes a creative mind. I’ve seen some become commercial business locations, houses, or event halls.