The Old Jacobson Home Place



The old Jacobson home place. Though meticulously built by Matthew Jacobson ages ago for his young and growing family, the house seemed to lose it's will to hold itself together after Matthew and his wife passed away in their old age.


The old house was left to the family, but all of the children had moved on to various bustling cities with their own young and growing families, where they were very contented to remain. No one wanted to sell their place of birth and upbringing, but no one was willing to care for it properly, either.




To the family's credit, some of the major damage to the home was dutifully repaired, namely, the dormer that had been destroyed by a falling branch of an ancient oak tree.



The exterior of the house was also given a fresh coat of cheerful yellow paint, Mother Jacobson's favorite color.















While the outside of the house maintained at least a portion of it's original charm and dignity, the interior was quite another matter.


A few years after both Matthew and his wife died, their children leased out the home to a lively family of twelve, who put their own stamp on the Jacobson home place. They were much less meticulous than Matthew had been, particularly in the area of painting.







No one knew exactly how, but that entire family of twelve completely vacated the house in the middle of one mild winter night, taking with them some of the home's finest features, including the wooden doors Matthew had made by hand and the beloved old cook stove Mother Jacobson had used to lovingly prepare thousands of meals.









Stripped almost bare, no vestiges of the beautiful and cheerful interior that reflected Mother Jacobson herself remained.






The house was never put up for lease again after that unsettling experience, nor was it sold. It was simply "kept" by the Jacobson children and grandchildren, wistfully visited a few times here and there for "old time's sake".


Eventually, though, the Jacobson home seemed to be all but forgotten. It was abandoned and left in it's shameful state to face alone the cold and cruel consequences of time.




21 comments:

Dottie @ Tadlafleur said...

I love your story.. What an exciting way to make the dollhouse really yours. You have given me so much inspiration. Dottie

June 30, 2010 at 11:59 AM
Simply LKJ said...

Love it! My mom has an old dollhouse that belonged to my grandmother. It too was not kept up, but is beautiful. I am hoping someday to have the extra time to restore it. It had real working lights...a big deal since my great grandfather had it built in the 40s.

June 30, 2010 at 12:06 PM
Tallulah Belle said...

Love it....family of 12 lol.

Your photos are fantastic as well...all those angles....I can imagine you contorting yourself to get some to them :-)

I have no doubt it will soon be beautiful again.

June 30, 2010 at 12:11 PM
Anonymous said...

So fun for your little house to have a history before you and you girls restore it! You can bring it back to all its former farmhouse charm, while respecting its "past."

June 30, 2010 at 12:21 PM
onbeingaminimum said...

You have a lovely project to work on. I look forward to sharing in its progress.

June 30, 2010 at 12:44 PM
Kimberly Jones said...

Charming! I can't wait to see your renovations!

June 30, 2010 at 3:38 PM
Sandra said...

Wonderful story about This Old Yellow House...can;t wait to see how you bring it back to life!

June 30, 2010 at 3:39 PM
Molly said...

Ahhh! Poor little house! It needed you!

June 30, 2010 at 3:50 PM
lisbonlioness said...

On the edge of my seat, waiting for part two. This was one of the most beautiful blog posts I've read in a long time!

June 30, 2010 at 4:44 PM
My Cottage Charm said...

Hey Kim..I'm Missy from My Cottage Charm. I'm new to your blog, but not to the passion for dollhouses. I have to tell you a quick story. When I was very young, my dad was having physical issues (seizures) and couldn't work, so they tried desperately to find me something for xmas....we were SO poor. I had a few pieces of dollhouse furniture from here and there and it gave them an idea. A friend of dads wanted a dollhouse for their daughter too, so he purchased the supplies and daddy built the houses. It was the BEST xmas I ever had. I still have that dollhouse, plus 5 more I've built myself! I have built 2 of the little one you have the kit for...it was time consuming, but OH what fun. I gave one to my mom and one to my MIL for xmas..all decorated like fabric stores! They were so thrilled! You're starting your daughters on a journey that will last them a lifetime. :-)
You're more than welcome to come visit me at my blog sometime!
Have a great week
Blessings
Missy

June 30, 2010 at 4:56 PM
shannon i olson said...

What a great tour, For a minute I forgot I was looking in a doll house! great job.....hmmmm lots of remodeling to come???

June 30, 2010 at 5:05 PM
"Cottage By The Sea" said...

I never had a real wooden doll house but I used to make houses for little dolls from boxes and they turned out great. I spent manys on my porch making my dolls lovely home that they probaly never appreciated! I do thing it was good practice for the future though.

June 30, 2010 at 9:05 PM
Anonymous said...

Kim,

The Jacobson's children and grandchildren didn't know they had a treasure!

I got your email and will be responding soon. I am so glad you are posting here about The Old Jacobson Home Place. I adore the story line and look forward to your farmhouse renovation and hearing about the shared joy it brings to your daughters.

Your Friend,
Deborah

June 30, 2010 at 9:25 PM
Home and Heart said...

I really want a small dollhouse! I love the story, and hope you keep it going!

July 1, 2010 at 3:41 AM
Tarnished Rose said...

Great story-line! Gives me impedous to get back to work on all my neglected dollhouses!

Smiles~
Marilyn

July 1, 2010 at 5:46 AM
Heather-The Atlantic House said...

Ooh, I can't wait to see the restoration of this house, Kim, and the story line you have created makes it come alive. I will share this with my daughter and it will be like a good book we will read to see what the next chapter holds!

July 1, 2010 at 6:36 AM
Susan said...

My Dad built a dollhouse like this for my niece...his first Grandchild.

I would like to also tell you, that i would like to be a participant in the next cottage charm bloghop/giveaway. I do not live in a cottage, but am working on the style, LOL I have already been collecting items for the giveaway, I was so inspired last time. (I didn't participate as a blogger but as a visitor)
Thanks, Susan

July 9, 2010 at 7:50 PM
Unknown said...

What a wonderful story! And I cannot wait to see you take the old homestead from a state of neglect to state of love and admiration! I just found you and I am anxious to see your other blog when it is up and running! :) I have always wanted a house like yours too...in real life, but I am going to start checking Craig's List here in Arizona! Thanks! Sandy

July 10, 2010 at 2:11 PM
Heather at Happy Chippy Junk said...

Can I just say: http://libertybiberty.blogspot.com/2010/07/monsieur-nylon-la-petite-maison.html

July 28, 2010 at 9:52 PM
Unknown said...

What a fun story! Can't wait to see what you do with it!!

August 6, 2010 at 9:32 PM
Anonymous said...

I love the story> I have an old dollhouse from my childhood that I wand to redo.
lifeofperks.blogspot.com

August 11, 2010 at 12:01 AM

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