Old Hickory - F. W. Knox Villa

A glimpse at the beauty of Coudersport in the fall. If you've never been to Coudersport, I would highly recommend a visit when the leaves are showing off their impressive colors. A few weeks ago, I took a break to enjoy this years display and it certainly did not disappoint. The house is located only a few blocks from this lovely downtown scenery. These leaves have provided wonderful inspiration for what trees we will be adding alongside the house when we shift our focus to landscaping. I certainly can't wait to replace our "spooky" tree with one that actually produces leaves. A tree with beautiful leaves that inspire you to just rake them up into a pile, not to get rid of, but to jump into like back when you were a kid and you could easily find the magic in a crunchy orange leaf. 

      " A trip to the mountains".  That phrase meant something different when I was eight. Back then, I would be glancing at the clock from a   tiny desk, waiting for the hands to strike the number three. Now I illuminate my smart watch, waiting for 5:00 to stand out on the screen while rolling back in my chair.        Then there is the part that didn’t change. I carry my bags out to the car and buckle my seat belt. I begin chatting about my day to help eat away at the long drive that will take us from highways to an overly bumpy dirt road. After hours in the car, I stretch my legs and breathe in the refreshing air. The apple trees are still there, maybe a little more gnarled and not bent in quite the same position. I found myself surrounded by green, my favorite color, which quickly disappears as the sun sets, giving way to an unbelievably dark and sparkling sky. It’s like nothing has changed, but that is not the truth.       ...

     I have    recently gotten a lot of inquiries into our completion date for the house. This is a question that I always avoid answering. I know a lot of it simply stems from curiosity but I also feel like a small portion of it stems from doubt in us ever being able to complete such a task. I’ll be honest with you, we don’t have a completion date and the house will never be finished. This isn’t a term paper that we will submit. It’s more like a pet that we will need to care for throughout its lifespan. I guess you might not even call it a project then, you would call it a commitment. As long as we are successful with our care, one day someone else will begin the continuous task of caring for the house because it will still need someone to help it along once we are gone. The house was listed in the local newspaper as completed in May of 1880. That wasn’t really true, in that instant the paint was already starting to wear away and the shingles beginning to age. ...

The story of the house really begins with Franklin W. Knox, a prominent Coudersport lawyer. On a visit to Pittsburgh, Knox spotted an intriguing Italianate home. He was so fond of its style that he decided he needed to have one just like it. In the Spring of 1879, he had the two story house where he had been residing moved from Main Street to Water Street. His new home would sit prominently in its place with views of the Allegheny River. Construction began quickly and in the Spring of 1880, his very own Italianate Villa was move in ready.      A wide variety of timber was locally sourced from the forests of Potter County. Butternut, chestnut, cherry, maple, black birch, pine, oak, and hemlock would all have a place in the home. These species were incorporated into the trim, moldings, floors and staircases. All of the interior woodwork was to be left unpainted. Oak was used to construct the stunning double spiral staircase which curves up the 55 foot tower. Altern...

I’ve had a tough time deciding where to start in sharing the story of the house. I’ve decided to start with the part that involves me. I’m not from the small town of Coudersport, Pa. However, I had been making trips here my entire life. My family has a cabin in the nearby mountains. We would frequently stop in town on weekends to grocery shop or grab a pizza. I always loved looking at the houses when we drove through. However there was one house in particular that I loved to dream about. In my mind I had already enjoyed countless Thanksgiving dinners at the long dining room table I would purchase for it. I really wanted that house which led to one of my favorite hobby’s...checking the local real estate postings. I looked for years hoping it would become available. Then two summers ago I was walking around town enjoying a bag of popcorn from the movie theater when I saw a for sale sign. I looked at the house in front of me and it was bathed in a beautiful light as the sun slowly began t...