the Dr. Mills house RESTORED

In rural Washington State, a dedicated couple bring back a 1912 bungalow that once had been the town's hospital.

- Brian D. Coleman

Terry Sapp was born and raised in Sedro-Woolley, a historic farming community in northwest Washington state. He is a third-generation farmer who always dreamed of continuing in his family's footsteps, raising beef cattle and cultivating the land. After college, he pursued careers in finance and teaching but by 2019 he and his wife, Dr. Jean Eagleston, decided it was time to return to his roots in Sedro-Woolley and farming. They searched for a house nearby and discovered the historic Dr. James and Margaret Mills bungalow for sale.

Built in 1912, it was set on a wide, treelined boulevard. It had had an important community presence as the town's only hospital from 1916 to 1929.

Terry and Jean admit they should have been suspicious when the seller would not let them come for a second viewing until they made an offer. But they had already fallen in love with the bungalow and went ahead. The house had never been "remuddled" and room layouts were intact.

Many of the original features were untouched, from a fancy beamed ceiling in the parlor and built-in colonnades and bookcases to a leaded-glass china cabinet that sparkled in the dining room. Handsome maple flooring still ran throughout the first floor. A broad porch ran along the front of the house-a perfect place to relax in the afternoon breeze after a day working on the farm.

The place was in rough shape. It had not been cleaned for a very long time and smelled strongly of wet dogs, cigarettes, burnt wood, and rat excrement. Bathrooms were black with mold, wood floors sticky, carpets thick with dirt. The avocado and orange kitchen would need a complete makeover.