The Devil Queen

How my wife and I sold our souls to the Queen Anne Victorian we tried to save.

About Me

My Photo
Name:
Location: Crow Mountain, Arkansas, United States


Synopsis: This is a cautionary tale. A seriously disturbed couple find the charming, old ruin of a Queen Anne Victorian in Russellville, Arkansas, and buy it for $1.00. They tore the roof off, cut it in half, and had it moved to some land they owned sixteen miles away because they didn't know any better. Since then, they have hired and fired contractors, had all of their tools stolen, re-wired, re-plumbed, insulated, and essentially rebuilt the entire house. Their only problem is that after four years it still isn't finished. Now they are tired, broke, and wonder what in the hell it is they've done to themselves. And, it's haunted.
(Last updated on April 3, 2008)

Press: Russellville Courier Article - December 2003, HGTV website article, AP story - October 2006, and Victorian Homes Magazine - February 2008 (link coming soon).
Art: From time to time, I receive requests for my art. If you would like to look at more of my art, go to The Failed Artist. If you would like to buy my art, email me. I am more than happy to answer any questions you might have. Thanks!

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Evolution

Below is a picture of the doorway to the kitchen as seen from the dining room shortly after we moved the Devil Queen (Winter of 2002-2003).

Here is the kitchen after we'd begun scraping & sanding the kitchen walls. Also, note that the window has been moved to the porch doorway's old location. The old window openning has been boarded up (2003 or 2004?).


This picture was taken after we'd stripped all the beadboard off the walls between the kitchen and dining room and moved the doorway (2005).


The kitchen after it has been primed and an arched doorway cut out to give us access to the pantry/laundry addition (Summer 2005).


Another view of the new doorway with the final coats of paint and the new pine flooring (Summer-Fall 2005).


The kitchen cabinets sort of roughed in (Early 2006).


The cabinets as Kenny & Burt were in the process of hanging them (Early 2006).


And, the kitchen as it appeared as of last week. I thought I had a better picture of the pseudo-finished project, but, if I do, I can't find it. Sorry, a bit anti-climatic (September 2006). I'll get some better ones (with all the lights on maybe) this week.



I can't decide what is more amazing: that it took this long to get this far or that we made it at all. Just a couple more days of painting trim and this room will be finished, I hope.

posted by John | 3:49 AM

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I remember when I first started reading houseblogs.net, just after we bought our old Victorian. I was totally fascinated with your story. I read your entire archives and have read every post since, cheering you on and enjoying both your writing style and your persistence. You guys are the most extreme renovators on houseblogs.

Sometimes, I'm in the middle of some house project that even the people who live here think I'm crazy for taking on and I think of the Devil Queen renovators and know I'm not really alone.

6:15 PM  
Blogger John said...

Tex,

Thanks for the kind words, I'm flattered.

A lot of the time I wonder if taking on this project was all that great of an idea, but I'm glad that we can at least offer moral support to others who have gone down this path too.

I love your house (my wife and I have a soft spot for Italianates), and I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

7:09 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

Free Web Site Counter
Website Counter