By Emma Bowen Meyer, For The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON — With an eye on renovating a once-stately historic downtown home, Roger and Karen Cookman purchased the property in 1995, ready to tackle the project hand-in-hand.
The home stands prominently across the street from the Wigwam at 13th and Lincoln streets.
Diving right into the tedious and painstaking work, the couple carefully preserved woodwork and tore down plaster. Roger, an all-around handyman and retired tool and dye maker from Guide, was accustomed to renovation work and had gutted and refurbished their own residence.
“My husband liked doing this sort of thing,” Karen said. “It was like candy to a kid.”
He was transforming the attic into a third floor and teamed up with Bob Post to replace the roof. Their scaffolding, in fact, provided The Herald Bulletin with a high vantage point to photograph the fire that destroyed the upper stories at the old Anderson High School in 1999.
“He finished the upper roof and chimneys,” said Mark Benbow, the contractor completing the work. “He did the highest part — which is also the hardest part.”
But in 2002, tragedy struck and the work stopped. Roger died from a weak heart.
“I let the house sit for more than a year because I couldn’t stand to come in,” Karen said.
Granting a wish
Without the money for materials and a contractor, Karen decided to place the property back on the market. She waited two years for a buyer willing to offer enough to cover her costs to that point. No one stepped forward.
Then Karen heard about a $25,000 Community Development Grant offered by the city. After filling out the appropriate paperwork and waiting for what seemed like ages, she was awarded the grand in August.
Since then, the changes noticed by passers-by have been rapid. Karen still feels like progress often hits a halt when materials are not delivered on time or inspectors are booked.
“I’ve learned not to make a time frame,” she said, pointing out how many times she has been disappointed. Still she hopes the historic home will be habitable by winter so that she can work in the evenings after a full day of caring for a 99-year-old client and not need to heat two homes.
Preserving history
Benbow was hired as a contractor because of his 25 years of experience restoring historic homes. Partnering with skilled craftsman Jim Scofield, the team has been able to custom make many features to preserve the integrity of the home.
By studying a picture of the original porch, the pair has been able to create soffits and railings of the porch that resemble the initial structure.
“We like to do the hard stuff,” Mark said. “It’s a challenge, but it’s also an accomplishment.”
A second stairway has been added to easily connect the second and third floors and replace the widow’s ladder that was previously used to enter the attic. Broken stained glass windows in the top story will need to be repaired by a craftsman.
Karen has offered up her own elbow grease in the project as well. A previous owner had painted all of the trim and Karen has painstakingly stripped the wood with chemicals and a trusty toothbrush. Because of the intricate carvings on the wood, the stripping required a great deal of time and patience.
Built in 1892, the regal home was last occupied in 1970, according to gas company records. The removal of the surface of the walls revealed the horsehair plaster underneath that was commonly used in construction during the late 1800s.
Drywall has now been erected throughout the home and electrical and plumbing updates are under way. Karen is having a claw foot bathtub painted before installing it in the upstairs bathroom. She also intends to sand down the upper fireplace and cover it in marble.
Some of the renovations will have to wait until the home she is currently living in finally sells. Having had it on the market for some time, Karen is hoping spring will bring more interested buyers.
“I wanted to finish this home because it was something we both wanted to do,” Karen said. “We both liked the home, we both liked Queen Anne architecture, we both like the historical district, and we both liked antiques.”
Each week, Emma Bowen Meyer features a Madison County home. If you know of a home that should be showcased, send an e-mail to emmagoldiemeyer@yahoo.com
