Summer 2005...... It was the early summer of 2005 and housing prices were on the rise.... I stumbled upon this little yellow house when we were looking at another house for sale a few streets over. Roses lined the driveway on both sides and the biggest Japanese Maple started the front walk and a blossoming Cherry Tree in the front yard. It was For Sale By Owner. The owner's name was Millie,and she was the original owner who had purchased the house new in 1949. She had raised her own small family of two boys in that house - and it turned out that her grandson actually went to gradeschool with my ex-husband (how weird is THAT? lol).....
Across the street was "Bill" and he told me the most fantastic, romantic story about how our hosues had became one of the first neighborhoods in Beaverton. He said that he and his wife has been driving to the coast in 1948 and they saw a large billboard sign on the side of HWY 26 - it was two 1940s people, dressed in their finest and the lady in the picture was telling the man, "Our Future Home Is Right Over There" - and then a giant arrow pointed towards a grassy area on the side of the highway. He said it was just like the sign that was in Back To The Future that Marty parks behind. Awesome. His house and my house were both built in 1949. He said it was mostly small families/young couples, most of the husbands were just returning from the war. I think that's a pretty cool piece of American history. This home has always been a family home. A place for people to grow and learn and play, it has never been rented out, and I hope it can stay that way. When this whole thing happened and several of our neighbors heard about my husband leaving, many of them banded together to help clean up the yard, and do odd jobs needed to sell the house. My other neighbor even started sending his grandson over to mow the lawn for me. I think that that has been the best part of this journey - finding the help, love and frienship of my family, friends and neighbors - it has been a true blessing. You really can't put a price on that. :) |