Could this be one of the oldest if not the oldest single family home in the U.S.?

[GON]

Came across a posting of a single family home in New Mexico, stating the single family may "be one of the oldest if not the oldest single-family home still standing in the U.S. It is important to note the word single family home- not a communal home.

Studying the before and now pictures, it is great to see what has remained and what has changed.

From the post:

This home is considered to be one of the oldest singular style homes if not the oldest singular style home in the United States. Estimated to be built in the early 1600s by Spanish colonials, referred to as the De Vargas Street House located in Santa Fe New Mexico.
The bottom photo is by Dana B. Chase, circa 1885

Not to be Confused with the Older Pueblos, as they are considered a Village, or Community and Not a Singular Style Home. There are definitely much older Pueblo structures and Native communities.

 

[AZjeff]

With the 2 doors close together like that it looks like a duplex. Interesting how windows come and go.

 

[GON]

With the 2 doors close together like that it looks like a duplex. Interesting how windows come and go.

Homes built earlier than the 1900s, doors can be very deceiving.

In 1982 I tore down the farmhouse my Great Grandfather grew up in. A tiny two room single family home with five outside doors.

I asked my grandmother why this tiny two room farmhouse had five outside doors..her response was fire. In that era, fires in rural homes was very common. Multiple exterior doors even in a single small room allowed multiple avenues to exit a highly flammable home.

 

[CKN]

It would seem homes older could be found in one of the states that were the "original 13 colonies" .

 

[ATex7239]

Imagine living in that thing. Gives the creature comforts of modern living some perspective.

 

[JonesZ]

Mountains, where's the Mountains? Not convinced this is the same house.

 

[4WD]

https://geojango.com/blogs/explore-...I90qCSBTN3kgUM3T99yAF5wky-h-2xMB23A8eXSlNQ7qP

 

[Cujet]

Adobe structures wash away over time. That may be very old, but nothing is original. It's been rebuilt many times.

 

[GON]

https://geojango.com/blogs/explore-...I90qCSBTN3kgUM3T99yAF5wky-h-2xMB23A8eXSlNQ7qP

Very cool, thanks for posting this link.

 

[daves87rs]

Wow…

 

[GON]

Adobe structures wash away over time. That may be very old, but nothing is original. It's been rebuilt many times.

Do you not think some of the original structural lumber is still not in place?

 

[Toy4x4]

Adobe structures wash away over time. That may be very old, but nothing is original. It's been rebuilt many times.

The core structure of it is probably still mostly original along with the vigas. Repairs are pretty simple, get more mud!
We lived in an adobe house about 25 miles N of Santa Fe - '72 to '82. Weird to think of nowadays, but that was normal to me as a little kid. This had cement on the outside.
Here it is. Those blue doors were redone by my parents. That blue is/was a popular/traditional color, though I forget why. They used tin behind the wood and made patterns with nail holes. Mom was SO glad when they were done due to bashing her fingers many times! Very weird layout as they kept adding on over the years. I had a window next to my bed...on the inside! Supposedly haunted, too.

 

[walterjay]

Homes built earlier than the 1900s, doors can be very deceiving.

In 1982 I tore down the farmhouse my Great Grandfather grew up in. A tiny two room single family home with five outside doors.

I asked my grandmother why this tiny two room farmhouse had five outside doors..her response was fire. In that era, fires in rural homes was very common. Multiple exterior doors even in a single small room allowed multiple avenues to exit a highly flammable home.

I worked in an old farmhouse that had a fire feature. Opening up the second floor master BR closet there was a brass fire pole like in old firehouses. In the event of a fire you could slide down the pole to escape. I was told that the occupant was once trapped in a fire and had it installed for safety.

 

[scoot]

Do you not think some of the original structural lumber is still not in place?

In the cliff dwellings of the west there are timbers nearing 800 years old .

 

[4WD]

The core structure of it is probably still mostly original along with the vigas. Repairs are pretty simple, get more mud!
We lived in an adobe house about 25 miles N of Santa Fe - '72 to '82. Weird to think of nowadays, but that was normal to me as a little kid. This had cement on the outside.
Here it is. Those blue doors were redone by my parents. That blue is/was a popular/traditional color, though I forget why. They used tin behind the wood and made patterns with nail holes. Mom was SO glad when they were done due to bashing her fingers many times! Very weird layout as they kept adding on over the years. I had a window next to my bed...on the inside! Supposedly haunted, too.
View attachment 271075

Yep, I see them rebuilt overseas - in some of older walls you can see the straw in the mud - they cover it all back up …

 

[andyd]

It would seem homes older could be found in one of the states that were the "original 13 colonies" .

Houses in Plymouth MA area maybe back to 1640s. Quite a few in the 1650 -1700 era.

 

[SC Maintenance]

https://geojango.com/blogs/explore-...I90qCSBTN3kgUM3T99yAF5wky-h-2xMB23A8eXSlNQ7qP

I was going to say, aren't some of the Pueblo's believed to have been occupied for 1000's of years. Interesting link.

The supposed oldest House in Charleston is the "pink House" - 1712 or such.

 

[MrGraybeard]

https://geojango.com/blogs/explore-...I90qCSBTN3kgUM3T99yAF5wky-h-2xMB23A8eXSlNQ7qP

I like the Finnish log house in New Jersey, as I've seen similar structures in the Finnish enclaves of the Upper Midwest. My grandfather emigrated from Finland around 1914 when Czar Nicholas was looking for conscripts.

 

[Cujet]

Do you not think some of the original structural lumber is still not in place?

I'd have no way to know. Maybe the 2nd floor beams rest on adobe covered rock walls and are intact. Do you know if anyone has input from the owner? A bit of history here would be really interesting!

I rented a very old house that had a written history. It was fascinating and many original aspects were 100% intact.

As I am sure you know, most older adobe structures have been rebuilt many times. Often in sections.

 

[Dave Hess]

It would seem homes older could be found in one of the states that were the "original 13 colonies" .

I was thinking the same.