The Somerset Historic District
Greenfield House - c. 1930
This one and one-half story kit home with gables on three sides is constructed of brick and clapboard, and has a rectangular footprint. Built in 1930 the home features arched window openings on the second floor within each gable and a substantial screened porch that provides street, side yard, and backyard views. The home features a scrolled “broken” pediment above the front door and another arched window within the front door. The detached garage at the rear of the property, with its paneled barn-like doors and original exterior sconces has never been altered, nor has the unpaved driveway. Indeed, the exterior of the home has never been altered with the exception of front light fixture replacements.
We almost lost the little, 1930-built, cottage to a fire in 2001. But today, it stands on a hill overlooking the street, as it always has -- carefully restored by owners Sandra Riley and James Regan. Sandra and Jim say they worked hard to preserve what they could and to recreate the home’s l930 charm after the devastating fire. Even from the street their efforts are readily apparent from the half moon window on the front gable. Inside the house interior plaster arches, built-in china cabinets, restored Hoosier kitchen cabinets and the original breakfast nook furniture, along with many original interior light fixtures, remain.
Sandra and Jim learned some of the history of their home from the pine plank walls of the coal bin in their basement. The original owners, Homer and Esther Greenfield, had tacked calendar pages to the coal bin walls. On the calendar for June 9, 1930 one of them had written “Excavation” and on October 18, 1930 “Moved”. Apparently, the home was built in a very short period of time. Just four months! The Greenfields left detailed records of their employment during the 1930s and 1940s scribbled in pencil on the coal bin walls. One record indicates that Mr. Greenfield worked for the FSA (Farm Security Administration) -- part of the Department of Agriculture. Another exciting find in the basement was the Greenfields’ handprints in a cement block along with a romantic heart enclosing the initials “H & E” dated February 27, 1938.
Sandra and Jim are only the third owners of the little house with green shutters. After the Greenfields passed away the home was rented for a number of years. One of the tenants, National Public Radio personality Noah Adams and his wife lived there for many years. Noah wrote Piano Lessons while living there, and the book describes many details of the house and yard.
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