This directory began years ago as a simple collection of homes for sale. Over time, it grew into something harder to categorize. Some of these properties are on the market. Others aren’t, and may never be. What they share is a certain kind of presence—buildings that have outlasted their original owners, their original purposes, and in some cases, the towns that grew up around them.
I’ve spent the better part of two decades walking through old houses. At first, I carried a clipboard and a comparative market analysis. Now I carry a notebook and a healthy skepticism about anything that looks too tidy. The properties listed here are ones I’ve visited personally, researched extensively, or returned to more than once because something about them refused to let go.
Each entry includes what you’d expect—location, period, architectural style—but also what you wouldn’t: the questions that linger after the walkthrough, the details that don’t fit neatly into a listing sheet, and the history that matters more than the square footage ever will.
If you’re looking for a property to buy, you’ll find a handful here. If you’re looking to understand what it means to care for an old building, you’ll find considerably more.
Featured Properties
The directory is organized by building type and period rather than by price or availability. This isn’t a sales ledger. It’s a record of places worth knowing about, whether or not they happen to be looking for new owners.
Colonial & Early Republic (pre-1820)
- The Whitmore Farmhouse — c. 1763, central Massachusetts. A center-chimney colonial with most of its original hand-hewn frame intact. The summer beam in the keeping room still bears adze marks from the builder. Currently occupied by a fifth-generation owner who has been repairing the sill plates one section at a time, on her own schedule. Not for sale.
- Mill River Parsonage — 1804, Connecticut River Valley. Federal-style with a later Greek Revival portico added around 1840. The plasterwork in the front parlor is exceptional and largely untouched. A full house history is available, tracing the building through three congregations and one very determined private owner who fought a demolition order in the 1970s. Available for private sale.
Victorian & Gilded Age (1860–1910)
- The Alden House — 1887, Hudson Valley, New York. Queen Anne with more gables than strictly necessary and a wraparound porch that has seen better decades. The interior woodwork is black walnut, unpainted except for one unfortunate bathroom renovation in 1962. The current owners have been restoring the original color scheme room by room, guided by paint analysis and a remarkable collection of period photographs. Not for sale. Restoration case study forthcoming.
- Stonemason’s Double — 1892, western Vermont. A two-family built by an Italian stone carver who worked on several notable public buildings in the region. The façade incorporates ornamental details he salvaged from demolition sites. Both units need substantial work, but the staircase alone is worth the visit. For sale by owner.
Early Modern & Vernacular (1900–1940)
- The Carpenter’s Own House — 1923, coastal Maine. A modest bungalow built by a ship’s carpenter for his own family, using techniques more common to boatbuilding than residential construction. The curved interior door frames and built-in cabinetry reveal a craftsman who couldn’t help himself. Lived in by the same family until 2019. Currently under contract.
- Route 7 Stone Cottage — 1934, Berkshire foothills. Built during the Depression by a stonemason who bartered his labor for materials and land. The walls are fieldstone gathered within a mile of the site. Small, idiosyncratic, and remarkably sound after nearly a century of neglect. Available. Full restoration assessment included in listing.
House Histories
For several properties in the directory, I’ve compiled detailed architectural and ownership histories. These aren’t the kind of reports that get skimmed during an open house. They’re meant for people who want to know who built the place, what they were thinking, and what happened after they were gone.
Each house history includes:
- A chain of title tracing ownership from the original deed forward
- Architectural analysis identifying original features, alterations, and periods of significant change
- Contextual research placing the building within local and regional building traditions
- Period photographs, maps, and documentary evidence where available
These are available for properties marked with a full history notation in the directory. If you own a historic property and would like a house history prepared, I take on a limited number of research projects each year. Inquiries are welcome, though I should warn you: once you start learning about your house, it becomes difficult to stop.
Restoration Resources
Owning an old building means joining a long conversation between past and present. The resource library is my attempt to make that conversation a little less one-sided. It includes:
- Seasonal maintenance checklists organized by building type and climate zone
- Guides to working with lime mortar, wooden windows, and other pre-modern materials
- Summaries of federal and state historic preservation regulations and tax credits
- Interviews with craftspeople, preservationists, and owners who have been through the process
The library is growing slowly and deliberately. I’d rather add one useful piece a month than fill pages with advice I wouldn’t follow myself.
About the Directory
I’m Eleanor Vance. I spent fifteen years as a historic property agent before realizing I was more interested in the buildings than the transactions. Now I research and write about architectural heritage full-time, which is a less predictable way to make a living but a far better way to spend an afternoon.
This directory reflects that shift in priorities. Some properties here are for sale, and I’m happy to connect serious buyers with owners. But many are documented simply because they deserve to be known. The directory is selective, personal, and unapologetically slow to grow. I visit every property myself, and I don’t list buildings I haven’t spent real time with.
If you’re looking for instant search results and dozens of filtered options, the large listing platforms do that well enough. If you’re looking for a handful of remarkable old buildings and the stories that make them worth caring about, you’re in the right place.
For inquiries about specific properties, house history research, or to suggest a building for the directory, please be in touch. I read every message, even if I can’t always respond as quickly as I’d like.