THE JOURNAL
Stories about historic homes and architecture, preservation, and the places worth noticing.
A place for looking a little closer—at remarkable homes, architectural details, preservation, neighborhoods, design, and the stories that give places their character.
Historic homes and architecture are only part of the story. The Journal also looks at the details that survive over time, the neighborhoods that give those homes context, and the choices people make about what to preserve, change, or pass on. Some stories will focus on remarkable houses; others may begin with something as small as an original fixture, a piece of tile, or a street that still reveals how a neighborhood developed.
The Journal is also a place for the questions that come up when older homes meet modern life: what deserves to be preserved, which changes can be made thoughtfully, how neighborhoods evolve, and why certain details continue to matter. The goal isn’t nostalgia for its own sake. It’s to look closely at the places around us and understand a little more about what gives them character.
THE POSTS
The Women Who Saved Mount Vernon
One of America’s earliest preservation stories—and one worth remembering My wife recently told me that Mount Vernon may have been the first real example of historic home preservation and restoration in the United States. That sounded like exactly the kind of story I would love, so I wanted to find out more. As it turns […]
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Affordable History: Seven Character Homes Under $1 Million
From a river-rock bungalow in Stonehurst to a Spanish Revival waiting to be restored, explore seven Southern California homes under $1 million—each with character, possibility, and something worth noticing.
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Why the Details Matter
Sometimes the smallest details tell you the most about a house. An original light fixture, a piece of tile, old hardware—or even a recipe fired into the kitchen wall—can reveal something about the people who lived there and what they thought was worth keeping.
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