Limestone farmhouse in the country
I first met the Edwin Zimmerman House, c. 1870, in the dead of winter at the beginning of 2017. I got to know her a little better throughout the year as the seasons changed, and, at the height of summer, when the greenery was in full bloom and Kansas was more jungle than prairie, I took these photos. Now, in the dead of winter at the beginning of 2018, I find myself finally processing them and trying to figure out what the hell I could possibly show or say to capture this house's simple magic.
SPECS:
- 3 bed, 2 bath
- 2 front doors
- Circa 1870
- 1 wood stove, 1 solarium, 1 pet frog
The view driving up to the property. Sitting on many acres just north of Lawrence, Kansas, the Zimmerman house is surrounded by an outer ring of farmland and an inner ring of trees. In the dictionary of my mind, next to 'homestead,' there is a photo of this property.
This is the kind of property where you have weddings in the spring. Barbecues in the summer. Bonfires in the fall. Where you make snow angels and snow people then trek inside to warm yourself by the wood stove with a cup of hot spiked cider in the winter. Then, before you know it- it's spring again, and the cycle begins anew.
View from the gardens, looking up towards the house. This section of the house, with a south-facing solarium, is an addition to the original structure. Instead of some historic home additions, this addition adds rather than subtracts. More on the solarium later.
From the gardens, looking south. MAGIC, I tell you, the MAGIC!
Around the gardens.
Around the gardens pt. 2.
The playhouse, a clear relic of the past.
Then, there's the barn, CHECK THIS THING OUT Y'ALL! They don't make 'em like they used to. Its limestone foundation and ancient timber support posts indicate its age- also- what is that door for?? Ventilation? Hay tossing? Is that a thing? Just for Fun™? I'm sure I could find out via the Interwebs, but I'm too preoccupied by another mysterious set of doors...
<<INSERT HEART EYE EMOJI HERE>>
OH, the projects you could get into here! This photo is far from indicative of this barn's size- it's massive!
OK OK- now onto the case of the mysterious doors I mentioned a minute ago. You know how most houses in the world have ONE front door and ONE back door and maybe a dog door and patio door if you're lucky? Well the Zimmerman House has lots of auxiliary doors, but most importantly, has TWO front doors, neither of which are in use, mind you. Before meeting 'Z,' as the house will heretofore be known, I had not considered the two front door thing. Like at all. Granted- I see some houses here and there with two front doors in my neighborhood, but I typically just think to myself "HA- how charming, I bet they did that Just for Fun™ ." BUT NO- the occurrence of two front doors is not coincidental, but is instead rooted in myriad historical, societal, economic and cultural forces. Indeed, there are multiple theories about the two-door dealio (some of them have fun names too, like 'The Dog Trot Theory' and 'The Georgianizing Theory'). In fact, so indepth does the research go, that one of my idols, a local preservationist and architect named Dennis Domer, actually wrote a paper on this very subject.
Now- I might have the time and emotional energy to wax poetic on 'Z', but I DON'T have the intellectual energy to get too in depth on the two-door thing, other than to relay the idea that most resonated with me. In my version, one door leads to a parlor-esque public room, i.e. a where-you-greet-Sally-from-down-the-lane-when you're-trying-to-be-polite-but-heaven-forbid-she-actually-come-inside-the-house room, and the other door leads to a normal CHARLES-STOP-BITING-YOUR-SISTER living room. You see? One door for the public, the other door for private living stuff. Simple. Brilliant. I reiterate an earlier point- they sure don't make 'em like the used to.
UPDATE 2/6/18: My friend Katie Ashmore, who used to live at 'Z,' added another theory to the two-door question- when she was living there, she was told that the house was an old Shaker house, and that the 2 front doors served as separate entrances for men and women that led into gendered worship rooms. WHAT. The mystery continues.
Z's two front doors. While neither door is in use at the moment and poses a bit of a problem if you open the doors from the inside, I can imagine that there used to be a big, beautiful porch attached here. Where did you go, porch?!
Now that we've solved (not) the door mystery, let's go around to a most magical part of the house.
This deserves a full. stop.
Scroll slowly, friends.
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Damn
Maybe it's because I'm freezing and writing this while huddled inches from a shitty space heater trying to get warm (it's not working), but there's some real down-to-earth magic here that makes me feel things, including some much needed warmth. That Tree. That Light. That Stone. It's nature and architecture together, on display, in the simplest way.
For context, here's the back of the property, where you can see the modern addition, solarium, garages underneath and to the right, that. tree.
UPDATE 2/6/18: It turns out that the tree that so moved me is the oldest Hackberry Tree in Douglas County (!!). Thanks to Katie Ashmore for the info. Here are a few more photos of said Hackberry and its relation to 'Z.' These certainly don't do it justice, but they allude to the majesty and size of this beauty! Holy smokes.
The solarium looks out on all this nature. <<INSERT SECOND HEART EYE EMOJI HERE>>
Dueling solariums.
Curtis aka Candlepants aka friend of all birds and plants aka Z's friend and inhabitant for many years.
Past the solarium are some lovely rooms. I can't even. The thing that's special about this house's interior isn't that it's ornate, because it's not. It has lovely details all around, but there's an accessibility about it that reveals its utilitarian farmhouse roots. It makes me think of this Leonard Koren quote:
“Pare down to the essence, but don’t remove the poetry.”
YES. I mean- if that's not the definition of beauty, then I don't know what is. Now onto that simple, poetic interior for a hot minute.
The limestone interior wall indicates where the original limestone structure ends and the more modern addition begins. Mind you- the word 'modern' is to be taken lightly- I haven't the foggiest as to when the house was expanded but based on the wood floors and trim, I'd imagine it would have been in the 1st quarter of the 20th century.
Stairs to the second story, totally patina-ed out.
Stairs to the basement, ditto.
Just for Fun™
In the dictionary of my mind next to 'all I've ever wanted' is a photo of this wood stove.
The main living room as seen from what I'll call the parlour, where residents likely did their public entertaining.
Honestly- I took a gazillion photos of this place, but after processing everything, I came to the conclusion that while the house is exceptional- it's simple and utilitarian and old and everything I value- but at the end of the day, the magic of this place is how the house interacts with its surroundings. There are so many opportunities here to be outside, to SEE outside. From the outbuildings to the gardens, the solarium to the deck- 'Z' is a place for taking pause and being with nature. I guess- at the end of the day, that's why people move to the county- out here- it's just easier to breathe.
A final look at 'Z.'
Kansas county view leaving the property. Perfect.
P.S.- Thanks to my friend Curtis McCoy for letting me take pics. Sorry it took me so long, pal! :)
BONUS SHOTS
'Z' was home to Lawrence attorney Lance Burr for many years. Lance specialized in Native American Law and was an activist, environmentalist, conservationist and more. He co-founded Friends of the Kaw to help protect the Kansas River. His legacy is well preserved at the Zimmerman House.
Rumor has it there's a cat buried by the deer. Rumor has it it was a very good cat. RIP, kitty.
2/6/18 UPDATE: It turns out it's not a cat buried by the deer statue, but in fact it's a DEER, buried under it! There's a story here, of course. Photo and story courtesy of my friend Katie Ashmore. While Katie was living at 'Z' years ago, she came across a deer who had been badly injured by coyotes. The deer was still alive, but barely. Instead of letting the deer suffer until the coyotes came back for her later that evening, Katie, with the assistance of a non-emergency police officer, helped end her suffering. After the deer passed, Katie sat with the deer for a long time, covered her with flowers as pictured, buried her, and placed the deer statue (found elsewhere on the property) to mark her grave. Thanks, Katie, for helping see the deer out of this world in a most humane way.
And you thought I was joking when I said the house had a pet frog.
