By Pauline Masson
For more than a hundred and twenty years the historic frame house has greeted motorists at the Osage and North First Street intersection with its perky front porch, twin pediments and vintage sandstone wall. A wrought iron fence was added above the wall 15 years ago.
The Victorian style house was built in 1894, one of several impressive homes built by the family that operated Mauthe’s Department Store on St. Louis Street. (Later Leah’s Department Store)
For the past decade the house has been painted a soft shade of blue with green trim.
For the latest facelift, still in progress, owners Herb Coffey and his wife Maria spent weeks researching Victorian paint schemes of southern architecture and found a subtle shade of orchid that captures the romance of the Victorian era.
“My son said, ‘Dad, you’re painting your house pink,’ Herb laughs. “It’s not pink, its orchid and it’s a traditional Victorian color.”
Although orchids have many colors from white to deep blue and even orange, Victorians loved the subtle pale purple flower that the ancient Greeks called a symbol of admiration, respect and love. This was the shade that found itself on the facade of Victorian mansions, especially in the southern U.S.. For Herb and Maria it was exactly the right shade for the home they have restored.
“We just needed to find a color that went with orchid for the gingerbread on the front,” Maria said. “The lime green just looked right to us.”
“The white is bright white, the brightest white there is,” Herb said, “to show off the orchid and lime green.”
The Coffey house faces motorists arriving from the east on Route 66 and serves as a complement to the historic Mayle house half a block east that now houses England & Company. The two beautifully restored structures harken back to the days when large Queen Anne homes dotted the cityscape and served as symbols of the town’s flourishing economy. Most have not survived.
When Herb Coffey bought the house in 2000, it was 106 years old, its paint was faded to a shabby gray. The porch posts were so rotted they could barely hold up the porch roof. The interior was a shamble.
“It was a derelict,” Herb said. “But I had always liked it. I was a retired construction worker and I had friends who could help with restoration work. And, I got it for a good price so I bought it.”
He rebuilt the front porch and painted the exterior white, which earned him a spot in the local newspaper the Currant, with a bold headline that read, “UGLY HOUSE BECOMES A SWAN.”
The local historical society also took note. A full page story in the society newsletter, “The Treeshakers,” printed before and after photos of Herb’s first restoration. Editor Betty Covington noted he rebuilt the front porch that was an exact copy of the porch when the house was first built.
In her article, Betty said that while working inside the house Herb found a cardboard box containing a man’s vest with bone buttons and a bone buckle in the back. He also found two invoices to renew season tickets to the St. Louis Opera dated 1911 and what seemed to be a love letter to a miss Merridian, dated, 1894.
“I found quite a few things, he said,” Herb said. “I found some tiny girl’s shoes with buckles, and a game of ball and jacks.”
The first thing Herb did inside the historic structure was to remove the drop ceilings and take the rooms back to their original dimensions. There is still much to be done. The sandstone wall along North First Street is is need of tuck pointing.
“It’s a work in progress,” Herb said.
Betty Covington said looked forward to other news of the house.
“I think all of this is very interesting and am anxious to read about the next phase of this historical home in Pacific,” she said.
I wish she could see it now.
Good morning Pauline when you have time please give me a call in regards to my article. Thank you