Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I'm having a thoroughly crappy day, so let's indulge in fantasy, shall we?

What would you do if you owned Maplecroft & had funds to do with it as you pleased?

I'll go 1st---

Probably I would not live there. It's way too big & even if I were in such a position to have a staff (like Lizzie) I doubt I'd be comfortable.

If I had scads of money to invest in it , I would restore it as close as possible to the way Lizzie might have had it following her additions to the house. I would, however, take out that glassed in front porch sunroom & put back the open "piazza", leaving the granite steps. Anything missing from the house that was known, I would have re-made or find items to come as close as possible. I'd really like to have a period kitchen restored.

I'd hire a staff to run the place as a B&B with tours. Pretty much in keeping with how things are done at 92 Second Street.

I'd do a Lizzie b-day thing every year. Better yet, Lizzie summer events: Annual Equittal Party every June, Lizzie's b-day every July & in August---well, someone would have to come up with a tasteful theme---"No More Annual Newspaper Stories On This Day Party"?

I have to admit I'd probably put an iron fence around the property & a security system.

So, does anybody else have any ideas/fantasies?

I would go to work for you and love managing the place.

That would be amazing. I've always thought Virgoes made the best managers...

I would have to restore it exactly how Lizzie had it and I would live there and run some tours but year round. Maybe during July and August only not sure. Oh and how lovely it is to dream.

Talk about an exciting fantasy. I would like to have it become part of the Fall River Historical Society and offer tours daily. Open 364 days a year! Possible once a year, a spend the night auction would also happen. All the procededs could go to the Fall River Humane Society.

I love all of the above ideas everyone came up with. I would add theme parties in period costume once in awhile... "Entertain the Theatre Company" for example. Also, public readings in Lizbeth's library.

It would be great to have some kind of relationship with 92 Second Street, such as a "Before and After" weekend, where people could stay a night at 92 Second, and then a night at Maplecroft.

Tina-Kate, sorry to hear you had such a bad day. I hope tomorrow is better

I would restore the house to the condition it was in when Lizzie lived there and turn it into a B&B. I would also ask the guests to remember that although Lizzie may have committed those crimes she did have her day in court and was released. I would want people to think of Lizzie the person and not just of the crimes. Whether or not I would live there I don't really know.

-1bigsteve (o:

After I restored it, I would send an invitation to all Society members that they were welcome to visit any time!

Thanks, kfactor, today is much better. Yesterday was one of those days. (BTW, is that a picture of you or "Wednesday" from the Addams Family?)

I'm very much in favor of the Humane Society fundraisers. Also, discounts & free tours for forum members! I was debating the merits of "house dogs" but prob not a good idea if you have period furniture, carpets, etc. & what if one of them gets cranky & bites a paying guest... (I'm fantasizing house museum here).

I've been looking for pictures of circa 1915 kitchens on-line & not having much luck.

Oooh! Assuming money is no object---how about a vintage car to give driving tours of Fall River, etc.? Shelley would probably be a natural as tourguide!

Thanx for the invite to Maplecroft, Stuartwsa. and Tina-Kate, I think thats the best idea ive heard yet about the vintage car tours of Fall River and surroundings. That would be awesome!

I think so!

BTW, hope you have a very nice birthday, Steve!

Thank you Tina-Kate for the Happy B day wishes. The older i get i am beginning to realise that any birthday i live to see is a Great Birthday! Now if i can catch up to Lizzie at 147 id be all set. LOL

Happy late Birthday, Steve! So, what kind of Chinese food did you get on your special day? Hope there was cake, lots and lots of cake!


Tina-Kate, I found these pics, don't know if its what you're looking for or not or if you have seen these already? Anyhoo, here is the link:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bungalow1 ... pg&.src=ph

Oh, if money was no object and I owned Maplecroft, it would totally be restored as close as possible to when Lizzie owned it. And, it would definitely be a B&B! I like the idea of returning the piazza at the front of the house, I never liked that glassed in affair that Lizzie had added on, I think it detracts from the Queen Anne charm of the home. I would hire someone to play Lizzie and I would play Emma in period costumes, of course. I would definitely want Shelley on board with everything. Oh, it would be so much fun, it would be more like play instead of work! So many great ideas here already, can't really think of anything different to add.

[quote="Tina-Kate @ Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:31 pm"]Thanks, kfactor, today is much better. Yesterday was one of those days. (BTW, is that a picture of you or "Wednesday" from the Addams Family?) quote]

Definitely "Wednesday" from the Addams Family.... I'm a big Addams fan.

Glad Friday is a better day for you.

I will repeat that I Love all of these creative Maplecroft ideas. Now - one (or more) of us has to become rich quick!

Tina-Kate,

Regarding your search for pictures of 1915 kitchens, check out Dover Publications:

http://store.doverpublications.com/by-s ... style.html

In particular, check out this book:
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486451046.html

It's 1910, not 1915 - close.

Dover also has a collection of vintage catalogs of all sorts that are useful. I want to own them all....

Thank you Susan for the wonderful kitchen picture link & also kfactor for the books link.

We know Lizzie did at least one kitchen "upgrade"---the "big sink" & breakfast nook (which we know she had) were from that pre-WWI era. So, the kitchen at Maplecroft would most likely have had cabinetry that went up to the ceiling with lots of cool little built-in features (specialized cupboards, etc.) characteristic with the arts & crafts style.

kfactor---I thought that was Wednesday, but the picture is small & my eyes aren't what they used to be!

Lizzie & Nance at breakfast?

Oooh---I was reminded of the garage by seeing a picture on another thread.

The garage is arts & crafts style.

It would be really great to get in there & see what can be salvaged. I wonder if the old gas pump is still there or has long since been removed? Do I recall somewhere mention of Lizzie having one of those revolving discs in the floor that were used to turn the vehicle around?

You're welcome, Tina-Kate. My fiance's house was built in the early 19-teens, if I remember correctly, it was 1913. Its a California Craftsman style bungalow, meant to be a vacation home and not lived in year round like it is now. Unfortunately, he had to have the kitchen cabinets that were original to house ripped out when he was renovating the kitchen. They way they were built in place was their demise, the contracter had to literally rip them apart to get them out, what a shame. They went all the way up to the ceiling, very narrow, with very narrow counter space, not at all designed for all the appliances and things we have in kitchens today. They were very plain and straightforward, no fancy trim, a single panel in each door. They had small, square wooden knobs for pulls on the doors and drawers.

Thankfully my fiance replaced them with craftsman style cabinets which totally suits the house and they have the same small, square pulls again. Oh, and that made me think of one other thing; not because there wasn't room for it, the refrigerator was next door on the back, glassed in porch. I guess it was a throwback to when there was an icebox back there instead. The fridge is now in the kitchen, its part of that ergonomic triangle thing, which does make it easier to cook a meal in there now.

Oh TK, the kitchen-in-morning-light picture is so beautiful and evocative. Thanks!

That breakfast nook was part of Susan's found cache.

Oh Susan! I hate to hear about cabinets being ripped out. Thou shalt not tear out built-ins! I'm glad they were replaced with a similar style, tho. I can see the fridge being out on the porch being a major problem. I'm surprised it all lasted as long as it did from the sound of it.

We lived in 3 Victorians when I was small, none of which had the original kitchen cabinetry. Kitchens are probably the most vulnerable rooms when it comes to renovation. One apartment we lived in for a short while when my parents' final house was being built---it had a 30s kitchen with an ironing board cupboard. Unfortunately the board had been ripped out & very narrow shelves put in that weren't good for much of anything except maybe spices & little bottles of things like vanilla.

My fav apt when I was living in Toronto was in a 1908 arts & crafts house. Altho I had the Bridget cold-in-winter hot-in-summer attic, it was my fav place & I stayed there 8 yrs. It was full of mission style woodwork & stained glass. You could tell my living space had once been two big servants' rooms. My kitchen was a modified bathroom, a very tight squeeze---the fridge was placed just outside of it, encroaching on the living area, & the stove was prob where the toilet had been. The cabinets were very cool, altho you could tell they were bathroom cabinetry.

Ever since living there I've been crazy about arts & crafts style. I also love Victorians, but having spent the past 3 years living in one that was bastardized during the Depression & currently falling down, the passion has faded. I now understand why my mother came to loathe Victorian houses & they eventually built brand new (hassle free). If I ever buy my own home, my dream is an arts & crafts bungalow with plenty of built-ins.