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Publisher’s Corner

My Old House Story journalofantiques.com

Every old house has a story. Here is mine: Publisher

Maxine Carter-Lome
n 1998, my husband and I said goodbye to our upgrades required by the town journalofantiques@gmail.com
corporate lives and moved with our two young and the state to keep their license. Maxine Carter-Lome
Ichildren to the Southern Berkshires of Massachusetts For decades, terms such as Business Manager
where we purchased a 12-room Bed & Breakfast in the “pre-existing, non-conforming use,” “grandfathered Jeffrey Lome
sleepy, historic village of South Egremont (est. 1761). in,” and “National Historic Register” designations had jeffrey@journalofantiques.com
Our beautiful new home was built in 1786 by Col. been circumventing and overriding regulations and Managing Editor
Joseph Curtis, who came to the Berkshires in 1780 from codes, allowing historic structures some leeway and Judy Gonyeau
Newington, Connecticut with his wife, Rebekah, and editorial.journalofantiques@gmail.com
infant son, Jasper. Joseph was a 22-year-old yeoman and relief when it came to what needed to be done, and Art Director
young father with not much more than a pension from how quickly. All that went out the window with the
serving in the Revolutionary War, but he purchased a 2003 Warwick, Rhode Island nightclub fire that killed Lynn Cotterman
large tract of farmland from the original proprietor in 100 and injured over 230. Shortly after, fire marshals ads@journalofantiques.com
what is today the Village of South Egremont and built a and building inspectors in towns across New England Production
family home on what became 150-acres of farmland that began instituting a zero-tolerance, zero-delay position
he worked until his death in 1810. When his wife died 12 when it came to upgrading centuries-old historic Lynn Cotterman
years later, the house passed to the couple’s son, Wilber structures to meet 21st-century building codes and fire Judy Gonyeau
Curtis, and a majority of the farmland was divided and safety requirements, regardless of the impact on Jill Montague-Kaitbenski
among the couple’s four children, leaving the house with the structure’s historical integrity or the cost. It was a
10 acres. Joseph and Rebekah Curtis as well as their four necessary hardship for us all.
children, their respective spouses, and their children are On December 11, 2009, at 4:45 a.m., the silence of 508-347-1960
all buried in the cemetery that abuts the property line of Toll free:
the house on land that the family donated to the town at the night in Egremont was shattered by the sound of 888-698-0734
the turn of the century to establish what today is known sirens as fire trucks and emergency service vehicles sped
as Mount Everett Cemetery. past our house. Looking out our window we could see Fax: 508-347-0911
The story of Joseph Curtis and the life of our 200+ flames rising into the last of the night sky. But by then, Mailing:
year-old house fascinated me, and I spent the next 10 it was too late. Within 20 minutes of the (delayed and P. O. Box 950
years researching the family, the evolution of the faulty) alarm sounding, the third floor collapsed, Sturbridge, MA 01566
house, and the subsequent homeowners after Wilber taking with it the second floor before the building info@journalofantiques.com
Curtis sold the house and property in 1848 to Joseph caved in and buried the main floor. The Inn’s
A. Benjamin, who named his new summer “cottage” patchwork, non-invasive approach to fire safety, UPS and FedEx
Twin Pines after the two majestic pine trees on the known for years as being inadequate, failed, and there Shipping Address:
front lawn. was nothing to be done to save it. The Egremont 46 Hall Road
Over the years, the original Georgian Colonial two- Inn burned to the ground that morning, taking with it Sturbridge, MA 01566
story wood-framed structure that Joseph Curtis built a huge piece of the town’s history. Nothing but the Journal of
for his family became encircled by additions that sign on the road could be salvaged. Thankfully no one Antiques and Collectibles
enlarged and modernized the house, most notably an was in the building at the time. is published monthly in digital
1836 Greek Revival addition that added a formal Purchasing a historic home or building is not for and bi-monthly in print by
entryway and parlor to the main floor and provided those unfamiliar with what it takes to maintain an Weathervane Enterprises, Inc.
for additional bedrooms on the second floor to old house or who have limited funds. Homeowners 46 Hall Road
accommodate Wilber’s large family. The original have a responsibility to preserve and prepare these Sturbridge MA 01566.
beehive oven and fireplace remained at the center of homes, as well as the history that lies therein, for future
the original section of the house as the downstairs generations. The importance of preservation and Periodicals postage paid at
Sturbridge MA.
space morphed over the next century from a single renovation cannot be overstated, but too often home-
kitchen/family room into a more informal living room. owners ignore or defer needed improvements and
Future additions added a separate kitchen room and restoration/renovation projects because of the cost. POSTMASTER:
pantry, dining room, and back porch overlooking As my husband would say when we looked at the Send address changes to
Karner Brook that was later closed in and used as a projects in front of us towards the end of our tenure, The Journal of Antiques
breakfast room when the house was converted to an “NO,” which stood for Next Owners. Without deep and Collectibles
inn in the 1940s. pockets, even well-intended homeowners will find ISSN: (1539-5618)
When we purchased what was then The themselves in a perpetual triage situation. But you P.O. Box 950
Weathervane Inn, our home was among the five oldest can only kick the can down the road for so long … Sturbridge, MA 01566
surviving structures in the Village of South Egremont. somebody must pay the price or the building with its
The oldest was our neighbor, The Egremont Inn, was place in history, will. The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
reserves the right to reject any advertising that
built in 1780 as an inn and tavern along the County does not comply with our standards. The
Journal will not be liable for any errors or
Road extension that connected Albany with Hudson,
omissions but will print a correction in the
New York, and the ferry to New York City. Over the following issue if notification of such error is
sent by the appropriate deadline. Original
years, as building regulations in our town became more manuscripts are welcomed by qualified
stringent, the owners of this 20-room, three-story Maxine Carter-Lome, Publisher writers. We assume no responsibility for loss
of unsolicited material.
beauty of a building became financially burdened by
Copyright 2022
the unending structural issues and fire and safety
All rights reserved
2 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles