Friday, March 28, 2008

Home of our Wasden Grandparents


The home of James B. and Tilda Wasden.  Water was hauled from the river and stored in the water barrel by the front gate until the alkali was cleared from ground water.  The wash house was at the right of the main house.  Dates, anyone?


5 comments:

Elizabeth said...

I remember the house as being gray stucco. When Uncle Brooks and Aunt Lorraine were in Penrose in 1944, did he build a porch onto the east side of the house. Wonder when the wash house was moved? This has to be very early vintage.

Judy said...

Who do you think is standing on the back porch?

Dwight said...

If you double click the photo, someone seems to be holding a dog on the front porch, and one on the right may have on a suit; probably grandma and grandpa. Brooks (son of James B.) did build an addition on the east of the house when he came to Penrose to escape the war pressures in California during WWII, excavating, by hand, the basement area under the east side of the house for a furnace and water heater. I think the wash house was moved to house migrant Mexican beet field workers in the summers. I may be wrong. Too bad everyone we need to ask about everything we need to know are gone elsewhere.

Ann said...

Maybe Grandpa went from gray to green paint in later years, or maybe I don't remember that clearly. For some reason, I just remember it being green in color. There is a note in one of the family history writings that talks about the wash house. When I find it I will post it.

Elizabeth said...

Yes. Mother mentions in one of her Depression Era letters to Dad that her father (James B.) was moving the wash house to one of the lower lots to house the workers who would come to thin and hoe the beets. Peruse the old letters, and you'll find this answer.