ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — Lowell Lachance just bought an almost 100-year-old home. He is preserving it, but he might also be preserving childhood memories as he’s doing the work.
What You Need To Know
- A new owner is preserving a nearly 100-year-old home in Zephyrhills
- The home built in 1928 was owned by the Peeples family
- Lowell Lachance is tapping into childhood memories as he preserves the old home
If an historical home of almost 100 years could talk, it would have thousands of wonderful stories to tell.
The historical Peeples House was built in 1928 and belonged to the Peeples Family in Zephyrhills for all those years, until now.
Lachance is the new owner, and he has built a career in home construction.
“My father and grandfather both built houses like this and it’s all built with hand saw,” said Lachance as he exposed the foundation of the Peeples house.
Lachance’s latest renovation project hits close to home.
“It’s a unique house,” he said, describing the home. “It’s something that’s different. It’s something that we don’t see every day.”
Room by room, he outlined the unique features of the home, such as a Juliet Balcony.
“That’s a term where Juliet was calling out (in the Shakespearean play), and that’s how it got its name. It’s unique to this house,” he said.
Lachance pointed out the original wood flooring.
“Like I said, this is a strong house,” he said. “This is the original floor put in this room.”
He is opening a window into the past.
“Watch as I close this window, you could see that to me the type of care, the craftsman put into that window,” he said. “I can see my father and my grandfather, especially my grandfather, making a home like this. If I do too much to the door, I’ll take away from the personality and the character of the house.”
Lachance’s main goal is to preserve the historical significance of the home as much as he can.
“The original owners are the Peeples,” he said. “They have a lot of history here in Zephyrhills. I don’t know them. I’ve never met them.”
Which begs the question, why go through all the trouble?
“Somewhat it’s a personal thing, like I’ve said,” he said. “My grandfather and my father, they were carpenters. They worked on houses. They built houses. I can show you houses they built that are still there.”
If you are paying attention, maybe he is not just preserving a historical home.
He is preserving a bit of his own mind, body and soul.
And that makes him feel good.
