Lawn Bowling, Anyone?

Lawn Bowling, Anyone?

The lesser known sport of lawn bowling, also known as flat green bowling or bowling on the green, dates to Egyptian times but the game played today was developed and formalized in Scotland in the 1800s. A “uniform code of laws” over the game was agreed to in 1848, and the Scottish Bowling Association was…

175 Years Young: St. John’s Episcopal Church

175 Years Young: St. John’s Episcopal Church

How often do you drive past a home or building day after day and wonder what it might look like inside? Not surprisingly, I do that quite often. So I was more than pleased when I was recently invited to peek behind the bright red door at St. John’s Episcopal Church right here in West…

Living in a Local Historic District: Is It What You Think?

Living in a Local Historic District: Is It What You Think?

Many towns across the country have designated local historic districts within their town. But what does that mean, exactly? Most of us realize it’s a collection of old homes grouped on a single street or within a couple of blocks in a neighborhood. We assume the homeowners have to get permission to paint their house…

10 Reasons Why You’ll Want to Own This Vintage Home

10 Reasons Why You’ll Want to Own This Vintage Home

“F.G. Whitmore & Son have sold the handsome residence of Edward T. Hapgood on Fern Street to Mrs. Gerald W. Hart of this city. The house was recently built by Mr. Hapgood at a large expense, and is considered one of the handsome modern places in the western part of the city. Mr. & Mrs….

The Lesser Known Historic Landmark in West Hartford

The Lesser Known Historic Landmark in West Hartford

Much to my surprise, West Hartford has not one but two National Historic Landmarks. Only a fraction of those properties on the National Register of Historic Places obtain National Historic Landmark status as the overarching criteria is that the property be “nationally significant” with “meaning for all Americans” according to the National Park Service. So…

Every Door Has a Story: Meet Virginia Kemp

Every Door Has a Story: Meet Virginia Kemp

If you follow my Instagram you may recognize the charming home above which I featured recently, a vintage beauty in West Hartford. I had the pleasure of meeting the owner Virginia Kemp (Ginny for short), who lives there with her husband Mike and three children, when she graciously hosted our town’s annual Preservation Awards ceremony. While coordinating…