The Farmhouse
The farmhouse, built sometime around 1919, is the center of all activities at Butternut Ridge Farm. The farmhouse, which has approximately 2248 square feet of living area, has a huge screened porch on the front and an upstairs balcony on the South side of the second floor. In addition, the farmhouse has a walk-up attic, four bedrooms, and two bathrooms. Fortunately, all of the original woodwork remains. The farmhouse and the rest of the farm was electrified in 1944, rather late compared to other parts of Iowa where rural electrification happened much earlier.
In 2004, I upgraded the farmhouse’s electrical service to 200 amps and upgraded the electrical panel from old-style screw-in fuses to modern circuit breakers. I also had the house tuck pointed in quite a few spots. In February 2005 the old, 1961-vintage oil-fired boiler finally gave out. It was a cold 2 months until April 2005, when I replaced the worn out boiler with a brand new Burnham boiler. The new boiler is smaller, runs on propane, and is much more efficient than the old one. Lastly, in 2006, I replaced the roof, removing three layers, and in some places four layers, of shingles. In October 2008, I installed new gutters and downspouts and replaced the 4" cast iron waste lines in the basement. I'm hoping to rewire and replumb the house in 2009, as well as begin repainting the trim around the doors and windows.
In addition to the farmhouse, there is a small shed on the north side that was built in 1949 where I store the storm windows. There is also a 3-car garage that was built in 1956 and an older 1-car garage that was built in the 1930’s that is too small for a modern car.
The original homesteaders went bankrupt building this home and lost their farm to foreclosure in 1925. Houses like this are not all that common in the midwest--a brick farm house was a sign of prosperity. The farm house has a sister house a few miles away that was built by the brother of the farm’s original owner. Time has not been as kind to that house and it is slated for demolition.
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