Restoring a Historic Vermont Homestead: The Final Tour of Sarah’s Property
For the final installment of a home tour, the focus shifts outdoors to the grounds, gardens, and a newly constructed screened barn designed to echo the 1800s roots of a historic Vermont property. Over previous Sundays, the restoration of the interior—from the keeping room and parlor to the bathroom, staircase, bedroom, and office—has been documented. Today’s concluding chapter explores how salvaged materials and careful landscaping brought the exterior spaces together.
At the center of the outdoor additions is a small, screened barn nestled among the trees. Although newly built, Sarah positioned the structure where she believes the property’s original barn once stood. To maintain authenticity, she sourced old hand-hewn beams from the local area, secured an antique tin roof, and found a vintage cupola on Facebook Marketplace. The resulting building features rustic doors, large screened openings for natural ventilation, and exposed timber framing overhead.
Vintage Barn Interior Features Historic Gravestones
Furnished with simple vintage pieces, the interior of the barn includes a wooden bench, mismatched chairs, a colorful braided rug, and a cozy daybed. An antique window at the back frames a grove of maple trees, offering seasonal views while keeping the space protected from insects. The property’s grounds also feature stone terraces, steps following the natural slope of the land, and a simple wooden gate set into a stone wall adorned with yellow flowers and autumn foliage.
Among the trees stand weathered gravestones belonging to Solomon and Celinda Wright, the couple who built the house around 1800. More than two centuries later, the home retains its steep metal roof, two brick chimneys, and symmetrical window arrangements that reflect its early American construction.
Local Lore and the Question of a Friendly Spirit
The property also carries local folklore. A longtime resident named Nancy, who has visited the house since childhood, believes the home is haunted in a benign way—an account Sarah heard from Nancy, who had heard similar accounts from a local realtor and a police officer. While Sarah has never sensed a spirit, she recalled a curious moment when she unexpectedly found a sachet of lavender on the staircase when no one else was around. Addressing the empty room aloud, she expressed her dedication to honoring the house and its history. Since then, she notes the home has continued to feel gentle, welcoming, and safe.
