When Historic Cane Hill purchased the Kirby Colburn House in late 2023, the original barn and outbuildings were long gone and other than a few distant photographs, there is very little documentation of the structures. The house, constructed circa 1890, had been vacated in 1972 and sat empty for the last 52 years. Built in the “Folk” Victorian style, the house exhibits many of the traditional details of the “Queen Anne” and “Italianate” style houses of the Victorian period.

Having sat for more than 50 years unattended, there were holes in the roof, the porch had completely collapsed, the siding was deteriorating, the stone chimney was structurally unsound, foundation mortar joints had washed out and the house was overgrown with trees and vines. However, the structure was amazingly still in good condition. The house is a fine example of traditional balloon framing using solid oak studs, floor joists and sill beams. Like many of Cane Hill’s restorations, the mission is to acquire and preserve. The future use of the house is yet to be determined, but key restoration decisions were made based on evidence acquired through review of photographs and care study of the house and grounds, not how it could be manipulated for another use.

Restoration work included the removal of a modern kitchen addition, relaying a section of stone foundations, new wood cedar shingle roof, extremely deteriorated lapped siding was removed and replaced, restoration of the original wood windows, new period wood panel doors to replace ones too damaged to be repaired, stone tuckpointing of the chimney and foundations and re-creation of the south porch and rear stair. The team felt it was very important to reuse the decorative wood gable shingles to the greatest extent possible. This is the one Queen Anne element that differentiates this house from other “Folk Victorian” houses in the area. With careful removal, salvage and reinstallation, the contractor was able to save eighty percent of these brittle, crumbling shingles.

The result of this restoration is inspirational. As many years as this structure has stood mothballed, weathered, and lost in the landscape, Historic Cane Hill staff and their board should be commended for never giving up. The Kirby Colburn house now stands ready for the next generation of growth and prosperity
in Cane Hill.