The house standing at 317 N Rutledge in Paullina is believed to be the first home built in Paullina in 1878. An 1885 plat shows it standing in lots 1 and 2 of Metcalf’s First Addition. At the time, the home was owned by John and Thomas Metcalf and their wives Mary and Sarah. John became a co-owner of the bank of Paullina in 1883. Thomas did not live long after their arrivals and the home was sold in 1886.
George P. Buell and his family owned the home until a sale to Charles C. Cannon and his wife Grace (Jennings) Cannon in 1898. Grace lived in the home until her death in 1958 when the home sold to Cecil and Evea Weseman. Cecil died during the blizzard of 1975. Evea lived until well past 100. In 2014, the house was sold to Ryan Paulsen and in 2018 to Tom and Karen Roed.
Karen took on the project of restoration. She spends much time working to restore the house and save a piece of Paullina history. During the more than three years since she started the project the main floor and most of the exterior is returned to beautiful and spacious home. Last fall Karen hosted a neighborhood party to the restoration project, the first event of “Heritage House.”
The first priority to stabilize the deterioration of the structure was to replace the roof. Other exterior work is the complete replacement of the front porch. A welcoming front porch is a hallmark of old architecture. Adding a coat of blue to the ceiling of the covered porch is a nice added touch that brings a piece of New Orleans culture to the prairie.
The exterior has a new paint job. A few pieces of the original siding have been replaced. At some point in the past the flat back porch roof was covered with a sloped roof for drainage. The sloped roof has been removed. Water removal from the roof is improved with a few changes to the gutters left to be done.
The inside has been a mission. Roed has recruited family members to the cause, although the passion is hers alone. Hours have been spent scraping layers and layers of wallpaper. A set of pocket doors at the front entry work and are very attractive. They set off the room to the south that was once a parlor, the room where company was entertained until dinner was ready. The parlor features a south-facing bay. Many Paullina children had music lessons from Evea in that room.
Inside the front door, in the entry an organ from the Janelle Hibbing family fits perfectly on the wall. Looking forward one can see a short hallway that leads to the kitchen at the left and a newly, beautifully remodeled bathroom to the right.
The center room suffered from a long-term leak. Once the extent of the internal damage from the leak was exposed, a great deal of demolition and repair fixed the problem of the leak. A built in that once was part of the room was removed. The big south windows in the room make it bright and comfortable.
The kitchen is completely new and modern while featuring an old stove. Karen is waiting to see if it can be used or if it will only be display.
Back at the front door the staircase to the upstairs is open, steep and a bit daunting. To the right is a big beautiful family room. The fireplace was opened and revealed an electric fireplace inside. The upper part was intact. The lower part of the fireplace was rebuilt. Mark (Fuzzy) Puhrmann has been the contractor of choice inside and outside of the house.
The gorgeous wood floors have been brought back to life. Plumbing, wiring and a new boiler are all part of the project. The painted radiators are not an eyesore, but rather an interesting feature of the rooms.
The space is available for rent for gatherings and events such as family reunions, class reunions, showers or other similar events. Bed and Breakfast use is not really an option for Heritage House. Regulations for overnight guests and the available amenities, such as bathrooms, make short term rent not an option. Besides, Karen is quite happy to recognize Mary Iverson as the premier B&B operator in town.
Work to the upstairs is just beginning. Roed plans to give the upstairs more of a museum like purpose. One bedroom revealed layers of wallpaper. As she pointed out the layers she said, “This is a time capsule room right here.” She went on to explain that each layer tells a story. The Weseman children had come and visited their childhood home to see its changes. Bev and Richard shared stories with Karen of how the family used the rooms. Karen looks to preserve some of that history in the upper floor.
Jim Gengler is working on the upstairs bathroom, a little at a time and Karen recounts the times “Fuzzy” went to ND MillWerks for pieces. She expressed gratitude that the old house parts store was just a few blocks away.
Heritage House is a work in process, as all good things are, but it is ready for public use. To reserve space, contact Karen at 712-448-2396 and leave a message.
Find more pictures of the house on belltimescourier.com