
They'd been looking for a weekend house for over a year, viewing everything from old barns to bungalows, in three states. Lewis Remele and his husband James Danner wanted something uncommon, unique-and they wouldn't mind doing some work. Still, nothing fit the bill, until they heard about a vacant Victorian summer camp in Elka Park.
AT elka park Manhattan summers are hot and humid. During the 19th century, before air conditioning, those who could escaped the city. In 1889, several wealthy German immigrants formed a summer colony in the cool forest of New York's northern Catskill Mountains. They called it Elka Park, based on the letters L and K derived from their Liederkranz social club, a group supporting music and the arts that remains active today.
They purchased 115 acres of cleared land and between 1889 and 1896 built 22 Victorian summer homes. An elaborate Clubhouse was built for communal dining and events, with rooms for visitors; it was lost in a fire in 1949. The building that replaced it is still the social center today.
Elka Park's holdings grew to 1,100 acres, preserving its viewscapes, yet no additional houses were built for the next century, preserving it as a tucked-away summer colony in the mountains.
この記事は Old House Journal の July - August 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Old House Journal の July - August 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン

uncovering the charm
An eye-popping restoration followed when the owners removed faceless aluminum siding to find a handsome brick exterior with original details intact.

A Touchup for Knotty Pine
More than a simple cleaning, this process removes grime and a tired finish while preserving the mellow quality of vintage knotty pine.

Quick Fixes
Do it fast but do it well.

the KITCHEN UPFRONT
When this 1880s Philadelphia house was built, the kitchen was undoubtedly in a different location.

MORE THAN A HOUSE MOVING
even good smells can be too much Homeowner Jeremy Stock insisted that he and Danielle not only needed a stove vent but that they'd need a very efficient one that would vent steam, smoke, and smells to the outside.

A Pattern Match
The discovery of a patch of historic linoleum led to the re-creation of an 1890s-style floor, using paint and vinyl.

the door IN ITS FRAME
The frame is often overlooked as a key component to a properly operating entry door.

bathroom inspirations TIPS, TRICKS, HACKS FOR ROOMS OF REASONABLE SIZE & BUDGET
Even considering the usually small square footage, the bathroom in an older house is often the most challenging design conundrum during renovations.

Sunshine in a Cottage Kitchen
A happy room demonstrates that simplicity often underlies good design.

A REWARDING EXPERIENCE!
We revitalized a long-forgotten building on a prominent corner and would do it again.