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FACE-LIFT: Neoga's 'painted lady' has had a face-lift and certainly looks good for her age.
Edwardses give 'lady' new look  Share
She's 139 years old but doesn't show it. Ron and Elaine Edwards' home at 262 Oak has had a face-lift recently and is looking fantastic, for any age. The house was built by Henry and Bessie Aldrich in 1870, according to Neoga's Sesquicentennial history book. It has remained as a stand-out structure on Neoga's south side all these years, with various owners. Through the years, attention has been paid to maintaining the unusual aspects of the house, including woodwork, floors, stairways, etc., even as modern conveniences like electricity have been incorporated. ''Really, the people who have lived here have taken pretty good care of the house,'' said Elaine. ''I'm glad that we have it now and can do our part.'' Their part most recently included the complete refurbishing of the exterior. First Matt Romack redid various parts of the roof where it had deteriorated, and he repaired holes where squirrels had gotten in, Elaine explained. Next came the painters, Ron Johnson from Stewardson and his crew including son Craig. ''They didn't have lifts and did the whole job, scrapping and painting, from ladders,'' Elaine said. ''It was really terrifying watching Craig hanging out over nothing to work on the third floor.'' According to tradition, Victorian houses wore five colors of paint. The Edwardses chose cavern taupe, pavilion beige, crabby apple red, manor gray and white linen for the new look. Another part of the project was the replacement of 39 windows that were original to the house, with weights that over the years had given out. Elaine explained that not many windows in the house would open and that it's wonderful to be able to open new ones and really see the outside.
Columns on one of the side porches were brought around to the front to replace the original ones that had deteriorated over the years due to weather and water. There's another porch to do, and they may enclose it. But Elaine says ''that's for another day.'' Ron and Elaine had long admired the property and were thrilled when they were able to purchase it about 10 years ago. Since they collect antiques, they had just the right furnishings to complement the interior. The house was open for tours during the city's 150th birthday celebration and proved to be a real attraction. As they waited in line to tour the home, many visitors were heard to say, ''I've always wanted to see inside this house.'' The Edwardses report that many people have complimented them on the appearance of the house. The couple is glad to reclaim such an unusual structure and extend its good life. Elaine commented that too many old things are just cast off and replaced with no respect for their history. ''We're proud to know that when we're long gone the house will still be here,'' she said.
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