“Yesterday, I wore something from five years ago, and it still fit! So proud of myself. It was a scarf, but still. Let’s be positive here.” ~ Unknown
making an entrance
Last week’s deTour explored the Thomson neighbourhood in Winchester. Followers of the outhouse might recognize the name from two years ago in Historic Preservation when we studied the neighbourhood and helped construct histories of the buildings and people for a still-being-developed walking tour app. The most incredible property to me was the Venable/Sypple house, but back then we could only explore outside, thank you, Covid. However, last week I finally had the opportunity to see the inside of the house, and it was worth the wait. The original builder of the house (name escapes me right now) was a lumber baron with huge tracts of land in Rowan County. He shipped lumber back to Winchester to build this house, and that lumber has remained virtually unspoiled. The Venables bought the house from the lumber magnate and did almost nothing to change the place. When they sold it to the Sypples over 30 years ago, part of the appeal for them was the stunningly original design of the house and outbuildings. The Sypples have carefully maintained the integrity of the property, and they very graciously opened it to the deTour crowds last week. Just look at this stunning walnut staircase. The wood floors are poplar, other rooms are framed in oak and maple. The place gives a wonderful look back into 19th-century life and design.
from the side
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