Holiday House Walk

From the first brick home in Newman to one of the newest homes, visitors can travel over a century on the Holiday House Walk sponsored by Newman Regional Library District from 12:30-4:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 6.

Tickets can be purchased at the library at 108 W. Yates Street in advance or on the day of the tour starting at Noon, though the homes won’t open until 12:30 p.m.  The proceeds will be used to match a two-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for technology and on-line resources.  If you already have a ticket, you can get a map at the library on the day of the walk.

The Cash-Kauppala House on North Broadway was built in 1875 by Seaton C. Cash and early merchant of Oakland and Newman.  The Italianate structure has been owned by only two families and is recognized as the first brick home in Newman.  Though currently vacant, it retains much of the original fabric letting ticket-holders get a glimpse of the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Ethel Louise Kauppala reports “I am looking for a buyer for the property in hopes that someone will restore it.”

The next oldest structure is the Beth and David Partenheimer home on the Oakland Road, formerly the residence of her grandfather, Orval Trimble.  “We don’t know much about the original house, except that when we took off the old horse hair plaster and lathe in the living room, it was full of square nails.”  The home has recently been significantly remodeled by the Partenheimers including expanding the second story and rearranging the first floor rooms creating a spectacular yet functional kitchen for Beth, who is a chef.

Construction started on the Gillogly Street house of Henley Eversole in 1902 and was completed the following year.  Today it is the home the Ginger and Steve Velazquez family.  Visitors will step back in time when they enter the Colonial Revival that is filled with original woodwork, hardwood floors, exquisite built-ins, original light fixtures, impressive wood columns, pocket doors, leaded glass, and a cultured marble hearth.  Ginger Velazquez notes, “Our family is only the third owner of this home which still has some of the Eversole furniture including the grand piano.”

Jacob Roskovensky purchased his post-World War II Cape Cod home at auction in April 2007 and has been working on renovating it ever since.  The story and a half home of a local educator is across from the Newman Grade School.  “My interior design style is contemporary with hints of country and urban,” explains Roskovensky, “I have retained some of the original hardwood flooring, but a lot of the house has been totally altered to make a modern cozy and comfortable home.”

When you think of a log home, you probably think of something old, but the Diane and Charly Anderson home tucked away in the hollers of Sargent Township is a long way from that.  Built from a log house package from Jim Barna Log Homes in 2006, the two-story home features a great room that includes the kitchen, living and dining areas and an upstairs loft.  “The logs were delivered on five flat bed trailers,” commented Diane Anderson, “Charly was the general contractor and our nephew, Wade, essentially built the house with the help of a small dry-in team from Indiana.”  The large contemporary home is nothing like the old log houses of yesteryear.

The final and most recent home on the tour is the owned by the Stacey and Mike Means family.  It was designed and built by Mark Fraser with lots of sweat equity from the Means from November 2007 to May 2008.  The ranch style stone-sided house features spacious open living with a cabin feel and integrates Stacey’s hair salon into the east side.  Stacey Means remarked “This house is all about family; it lets me work at home to be near the kids, it’s next door to my mother, and was built by all of us.”

Newman Regional Library District was formed in 2006 from Newman Township Library and is the latest in organization to provide library service to the area since 1909.  NRLD is a shared information and entertainment source for the community that helps transform lives.  The new technology acquired through this grant will help the library provide a higher level of excellence.  Library hours are Monday and Wednesdays 1-7 p.m.; Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 1-6 p.m. and Saturdays 9-Noon.  For more information call 217-837-2412 or e-mail librarian@newmanregionallibrary.org.