Our Farm House

Our Farm House

My wife and I have lived in our old farmhouse for over 27 years.  We have raised three children, countless sheep, many dogs, and a cat.  There are things I swore I would change the day we moved in that have not been touched and other additions I did not imagine.

Built in about 1790, our home was added onto in the 1820s, the 1860s, and again in the early 2000s.  In the 1930s and 1940s, a wealthy New York industrialist named William Beach used our home as his weekend and summer getaway on his 600-acre gentleman’s farm.  In an arrangement that would be surprising today, a family lived in half of the house, and both took care of the property and cooked for Mr. and Mrs. Beach while they were in residence.  Our road is called Beach Road.

A few years ago, a man in his 80s named Gordon Moose visited and told me he lived in our house with his family as a boy and worked for the Beaches.  He was kind enough to share some of his family photos with me, which I have included.

North Site Of House

South Side of House in the 1940s

It is incredible how little our house has changed in the 80 years since the Beaches lived there.  The most significant exterior change was the bedroom, bath, and porch, which we added many years ago.  Like most old homes, each new owner makes it their own.  I could not be more happy sitting on the porch in the summer, catching the breeze.

Bedroom/Bath/Porch Addition

Bedroom/Bath/Porch Addition

Beach Road

Beach Road

Beach Road has changed quite a lot in 80 years.  At that time it was a dirt road used primarily by farmers on tractors or horses and children walking to the one-room schoolhouse down the road.  Interestingly enough, like us, the Beaches had chickens and sheep, which they kept across the road.

Sheep And Chickens Across The Road

Sheep and Chickens Across the Road

Dogs At Kennel

Dogs at 1940s Kennel

Mr. Beach was an avid hunter and kept a kennel full of dogs for him and his friends to hunt with.  We turned it into a sheep and chicken pen and a great storage shed.  The holes for the dog runs are still there.

Our Barn With Giant Squash Growing On Fence

Our Barn With Giant Squash Growing on Fence

North Side Of House

North Side of House in the 1940s

The North side of our home has barely changed in 80 years.  Some maple trees have been cut down, and others have become colossal shade-givers.  I like to think someone in a hundred years will still be enjoying our old home and adding on to make it their own.

The 80-Year-Old Man As A Boy Playing In Our Yard

Gordon Moose as a Boy Playing in Our Yard

Photos by Rob Karosis, Jimmy Crisp, and Unknown          Curated Brochure by Crisp Architects: Portfolio

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By Published On: January 12th, 2025Categories: Miscellaneous3 Comments on Our Old Farm House

About the Author: James Crisp

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James M. Crisp has been an architect for well over 30 years. His architectural firm, Crisp Architects, designs projects throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts. In April of 2007, Taunton Press published 'On the Porch' by James M. Crisp and Sandra Mahoney.

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3 Comments

  1. 50Ef4A2Ec3F4C9623540Cda0693C2805?S=54&R=G
    Mary January 16, 2025 at 1:49 pm

    Wow! The pictures the elderly gentleman shared with you are priceless!

    And Lou Lou for the baby girl sheep’s name. from her LA heritage…

    Happy New Year! Mary

  2. Aa2Cbf39867Dfccabe80558316A86802?S=54&R=G
    James Crisp January 16, 2025 at 4:36 pm

    Yes, it was amazing to hear his stories from the 1940s. Happy New Year to you too! I will pass your suggestion on to the naming committee. JC

  3. 266Cc340108C65E59Ebb5057B286C739?S=54&R=G
    Laura Bryson January 17, 2025 at 8:38 am

    How precious of Gordon to share; he knows you will appreciate the photos and stories which keep the history alive!

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