It's on the National Park registry!

When we purchased 613, the former owner had started repainting it.

He had started repairing the front porch, but had not been able to finish it. The floor, ceiling and columns, some siding and trim were missing.

We have tried to put it back to the way the original builder of the home would have wanted it. We are not restoring the house, because we want to sell a house to be lived in comfortably for the 21st century. Having stated that, we do want the outside to be as original as possible. The National Park service has designated the house as a key structure in the Paradise Block District of Oskaloosa. There are 7 houses with that designation. There were 8 houses labeled as such back in 1980. The Spencer House at 517 High Ave East was also a key structure. It was built by H.L. Spencer. When H.L. died his wife had Spencer Chapel built on the William Penn campus as a memorial. My parents and I owned 517 when a tenant's Tv had an electrical short  which caused a fire. the Oskaloosa fire department was able to get the fire out without totally destroying the house. Problem was insulation in the attic smoldered for a week, reignited and the house was a complete loss. The house was demolished in 1983. So having owned one of the key structures of the Paradise Block and had it cease to exist under my ownership, I have no desire to repeat that. 

Basil Dutton was a contractor who built several homes in Oskaloosa with his partner Henry Wetherall. Henry's son Frank was an architect. Several houses Basil and Henry built have the "belt" around the exterior of the house between the first and second floor. Basil built 613 for his own home to live in.

There are 4 stained glass windows in the house we are attempting to repair. The one above is in excellent shape. The 2 on the 3rd floor are in horrible shape. We are putting new colored glass in front of the old faded glass and missing pieces so that the windows will be double paned. The Stained glass window on the stairs between first and second floor will be taken apart and the central yellow broken pane replaced.

Although it was a shame to remove the upstairs hallway oak floor it was damaged beyond repair by leaking hot water heat radiators. We can save all the other oak flooring except about half of the kitchen.

The half of the kitchen where we will replace the flooring is not original to the house. The garage was also built much later in 1940. I would have to say that having owned a key structure in the Paradise block Historic district that was destroyed in 1982, it is a labor of love to bring this house back to it's former glory. The house just to the west, although when it was built was an identical house to 613, has had so many changes to the exterior it is not considered a historical house. I have no desire for that to happen to 613. We want to fix it up and sell it to someone who will treasure the history and architecture of the home.