SYRACUSE -- The kitchen is typically an area of the home where the cooking is done and the family gathers for nightly conversations.
That's exactly what goes on at Dustin and Melinda Johnson's home, but before they owned it, people were having their gallbladders and appendixes removed in the dining area.
The home, built sometime around the early 1900s, originally belonged to a family by the name of Criddle. It was a red brick Victorian farmhouse and was considered to be the biggest barn in Davis County.
"I guess whenever someone needed surgery, they used the kitchen," Melinda said. "I talked to a man whose cousin had his appendix taken out here. He was one of three surgeries that day."
Before the home was built, Melinda said the Criddles lived in a tiny little shack on the property with their 12 children. When the family became more financially independent, they built the farmhouse on the property.
The home was nearly destroyed by a fire several years ago, but instead of knocking it down, it was rebuilt by another owner.
"It was a nasty fire and people ended up in the burn unit," Melinda said. "You could actually stand and look straight through the roof. I believe a great-grandson rebuilt it and was renting it out at the time of the fire."
Although much of the home was destroyed, the Johnsons have tried to replicate as much of it to its original design as possible.
"The hardwood floors were ruined, but we just had them replaced in the kitchen. The electrical and piping also had to be redone and one of the bathrooms was sinking, so we had to have it lifted. The original bathtub is still there. It's huge. It can fit all three of my children. In fact, it was like their own little swimming pool at one time."
A lot of the molding is still on the walls and is at least 10 inches thick, Melinda said. The bedrooms are huge with the original slanted ceilings. An old cellar where farm produce was stored is still in place. People often stop and take pictures of the home or ring the doorbell and tell stories of renting the home and how much they enjoyed living there. The Johnson children like to go outside and dig up old farm tools in the backyard.
"They think it's their own little treasure island," she said. "When we moved in, there were pheasants in the backyard. We even had a couple of snakes come in the house, one of which ended up in my dishwasher, but now everything has been built around us."
A new Wal-Mart, pizza parlor and movie theater are right across the street. Rumors have been swirling for years about the possible widening of the road, which would ultimately put the home at risk for being demolished.
"We stopped remodeling at one point because we were so afraid of losing the house, but we decided we're going to enjoy it and be happy here as long as we can," Melinda said. "We really hope they won't come in and force us to leave. It would be tragic to destroy this home. It's actually displayed at the Syracuse Museum."
Melinda said she finds it funny that people have actually pitied her family for living in the home.
"They've told me that when we are more financially stable, maybe we can move into one of the newer homes around us," she said. "They don't realize we moved here because it's an old home and this is exactly what we wanted. Some people just don't see the value of antiquity. And you know, we use every inch of this house. Some people never even see their basements because their homes are so big."
The Johnsons will continue to make improvements throughout the home, hoping they will be able to grow old there.
"It's just a beautiful home and we love it here," Melinda said. "If we ever have to move, I don't know what we'll do. We've become pretty spoiled."
Comments