Amazing Vintage Finds and Stories About the “Sister Houses”

There are two beautiful old stone houses in our town that have always reminded me of our little castle. The houses have similar architecture with an exterior combination of stone and tudor style details, leaded glass windows, and arched front doors. They are the kind of homes that make you slow down and take notice as you drive along the street. I’ve always admired them, wondering about the history and dreaming about what they looked like on the inside.

Recently on a warm summer night I drove past the two stone houses and noticed a “garage sale” sign in the yard of one of them. My heart skipped a beat! Yard sales at old houses are my favorite! That’s where you find the best treasures. I was at the sale bright and early the next morning, hoping to discover some beautiful vintage items.

My eye was immediately drawn to an iron chandelier and two painted metal flush mount lights. They were heavy, and the flush mount lights still had the old fabric covered wiring. I suspected that these lights were probably original to the house.

I introduced myself to the two women who were hosting the yard sale and asked if they knew the history of the lights. The woman who owned the home told me that the lights were original to the house, which was built in 1930. When I explained my mission for restoring our house and told her where I lived, her face lit up!

“Did you know,” she told me excitedly, “that I’ve been told that the man who built your house also built these two houses for his daughters?” She waved her hand at the similar styled stone house next door.

I gasped! “I’ve always wondered if the houses were connected,” I replied. “They are so similar in design! That’s amazing!”

She smiled. “I have the paperwork from 1930 when they ordered some of the construction materials to build this house.” Friends, I almost died of happiness! She was very gracious to let me take pictures and share them with you. If you notice, the date says “6/5/30”, the cost for the supplies is “$3,063.28”, and the company Gordon Lumber (which is still in business today) advertises “Over 60 Years of Square and Faithful Service.”

There were some really neat details on the exterior of her stone house that match ours! Our home was built in 1927 and her house was built in 1930. We both have the exact same porch lights! Someone painted the iron on her light white and the glass is missing, but the design is the same!

She also has the same copper gutters with gorgeous patina.

I love her arched front door! The little stained glass windows are amazing! She has a screen door on her house, and we have one as well that we found up in our attic.

Both houses have beadboard on the porch ceilings. I wish ours were still stained like this instead of painted, but that was changed before we bought the house.

I bought the chandelier for $20, the flush mount lights that need to be rewired for $5 each, and a box full of original hinges and door latches that match ours for $5.

I’m so excited! I don’t know if there is actually a connection between the houses, but if so, I like to think that the family who built all three stone houses would be thrilled to know that their lights are staying within the family of houses, so to speak. Isn’t that the neatest thing! I now refer to the two stone houses that I was told were built for his daughters in 1930 as “The Sister Houses.” I love imagining the sisters living next door to each other in their beautiful stone houses, just down the road and around the corner from their parents. Even if the story isn’t true, I still love the similar architecture and the incredible paperwork!

For more inspiring stories and vintage finds, follow Whimsical Blue Living on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. And be sure to sign up for our newsletter to receive an email every Sunday morning with the posts from the week.

Have a beautiful day!
Sandy