May 15, 2010Bob and Roger have put countless hours of their own time as well as lots of money into their project of restoring their historic Italianate Victorian home on Harrison Street between 10th and 11th Streets. The inside has undergone at least as much restoration as the outside, and this year the house is the recipient of one of the coveted Dr. Edward Harvey Historic Preservation Awards (or Harvey Awards for short). The recipients are given a framed certificate from the mayor; the awards were created to "celebrate the best in preservation by individual property owners" according to the Daily Astorian. Bob and Roger did a lot of research as well as hard work. I remember a special trip to San Francisco to get exactly the right gold paint for some of the trim. This house is often open to the public as part of official home tours.
You can also see in this photo some of the issues that owners of older homes have to contend with on Astoria's hills. Cracks in the retaining walls are always something to be considered! And, historic houses like this are bound by strict rules when it comes to preserving the original character and materials. I know very little about this aspect, but I'm sure that many readers will know what I'm talking about.
What caught my attention about the house in yesterday's sunlight was actually the gorgeous purple azaleas at the foot of the steps. I noticed them from up the street where they were not in competition with any other colors, since I viewed them with the neighboring retaining wall blocking the colors of the house.
Congratulations, Bob and Roger! You certainly deserved this award.
