Living in a historic home is an honor and a responsibility, whether it’s fifty years old or a hundred and fifty years old. When you own a historic home, you aren’t just another homeowner, you’re the latest caretaker of a unique piece of history. With that special role comes certain responsibilities.

Special Maintenance

Historic homes often require special maintenance because the materials used are old or different. For example, many early log cabins on the east coast were made of chestnut logs. One must take special care of those logs because they are irreplaceable. Chestnut blight in the US has made it all but impossible to find replacement logs.

Furnishings

You may also find that your historic home has odd dimensions and unusual spaces. Walk-in closets, for example, were very uncommon in certain eras and locations because sometimes houses were taxed by the room. If your home has no closets, you’ll likely need dressers and wardrobes to fill that niche. A local wood shop Odem TX or your area should be able to help you with repairs and custom furnishing.

History

The records for your historic home are part of the value of that home. You may find that previous owners come to visit the place, and have stories to tell about it. Do your best to keep those stories alive. Part of what makes a historic home special is the ability to pass that history on to the next owner.

There’s nothing quite like living in a historic home. Living in a historic home really is a privilege that cannot be replicated anywhere else. It’s a truly unique experience with some challenges and many rewards but at its core, it’s about respect. If you have respect for your home and its history, you will come to love it, and after that, you will find that the difficulties are not so hard to bear.