tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post7187527110809389079..comments2024-03-26T10:17:51.566-04:00Comments on The Mill Creek Hundred History Blog: The Hattie Milliken HouseScott Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10850758840846585533noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post-9218854536822685522012-07-31T11:19:10.991-04:002012-07-31T11:19:10.991-04:00I wanted to repost here a comment left on the Josi...I wanted to repost here a comment left on the Josiah Hullet post, where the whole discussion of the Milliken House originated. As you'll see, it's from the current owner of the house, who is able to add some wonderful insight into its condition and construction. Thank you very much, SRL, for contributing. And thank you VERY MUCH for rescuing and taking such great care of the house!! (And I'd still love to find that newspaper article.)<br /><br />Reposted Comment:<br /><br />Hi, I wanted to clear up a few things about Beech Bower (Hattie Milliken House), the reason online records showed the $10.00 price is when the buyers do not want it public knowledge of the selling price. I am aware of this because I am the private owner of this house currently. I have done extensive research on the Milliken family, the people that rented in the years after the Milliken family left. Harriett Fay Fuller Milliken was born in DC 6/30/1891 and died in Delaware 3/3/1979. Don't know when she married Mahlon G. Milliken, but he was born 5/15/1890 and died in Florida 10/28/1976, they are both buried in Silverbrook Cemetery located on Lancaster Pike and DuPont Rd. in Wilmington.<br /><br />I have met Margaret, the only living child of Hattie & Mahlon's and her son Jay and they have filled in the gaps, and provided me with many wonderful pictures. I was also fortunate to me VMB and her sister to shared some extraordinary stories.<br /><br />I have been restoring Beech Bower since 2008, and think if Hattie were alive she would be very happy with the results. I always wanted an older home, and when I saw this beautiful home falling into disrepair I was angry. I became a person possessed to know everything about this house and try to purchase it! It had been left vacant for over 12 years with many people going in and out trashing it! <br /><br />After it was sold in 2001 along with the Golf Course, this is when the most vandalism began. There were no attempts to secure the house, and with every hit, the house lost something else. Copper, shutters, stairs, lights, switch plates and even the fireplace mantle were gone! Radiators were blown out and most of the windows and mirrors were kicked in. I was so sick when I saw what the house looked like in 1936, and what the previous owner had left it become.<br /><br />Craftmanship that you find in older homes is becoming a dying art! Each generation wants to go things a new and easier way to make the most money and do the least work. I wanted this home to be of the period, not close enough, so finding the right people had been difficult.<br /><br />I found an old picture from a family that had rented in the 1980's till 1997 and they gave me some insight into what the inside looked like before the vandalism. Hattie had done a wonderful job of designing this home. Each room was designed with a person in mind, each closet had it own purpose, and even the third floor was designed for live in help. I was surprised that there was a Bathroom in the basement, just in case people needed to wash up or use a Bathroom, they wouldn't have to go through her home if they were dirty. <br /><br />In the 30's people were happy to work because of those depression years, and the Milliken's were fortunate to hire the best of the best. The beautiful stone came from the Woodsdale Quarry, which was located off Lancaster Pike. They had many knowledgeable craftsmen working on their home who were proud tradesmen of the time. <br /><br />When the work was completed they had an article written in the local paper showing the beautiful finished job. Hattie was so proud to show off every detail of her beautiful "Beech Bower". and so am I!<br /><br />Thank You letting me share.<br />SRLScott Pnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post-12863395483776668792012-07-31T11:09:33.769-04:002012-07-31T11:09:33.769-04:00Jay -- Thanks for the correction! And not that I d...Jay -- Thanks for the correction! And not that I didn't believe you, but I actually was able to find a reference in the 1891 Year Book of the American Society of Civil Engineers that listed William B. Fuller in Snohomish. Also, I think Snohomish is now one of my favorite words.<br /><br />I really sounds like she and her family had a very interesting life. I know that it doesn't necessarily have much to do with the house, but once I started learning about it I had to include it. But I guess I figured that the house sounded like a very personal thing for Hattie, so her background and upbringing would help to explain who she was, which would in turn help to give some background for the house. Either way, it's all turned out to be a much more interesting story than I ever would have imagined.Scott Pnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post-60963903579649753012012-07-29T15:11:16.696-04:002012-07-29T15:11:16.696-04:00Thanks to Scott for all of the interesting researc...Thanks to Scott for all of the interesting research. Hattie was my grandmother, too (I am VMB's cousin).<br /><br />Since you asked for corrections, I would like to note that Hattie was not born in Washington, DC. She was born in Snohomish, Washington i.e. in the Pacific Northwest. It is my understanding that her father took the family there while he was part of the team of engineers who laid out the city. Among other places, she also lived in Ishpeming, Michigan (way up in the Upper Pennisula) while, I suppose, her father was on another engineering assignment. We visited up there once when I was very young.<br /><br />I have several pleasant memories of visiting my grandparents at Beech Bower as a youngster. A few years ago, at my mother's request, I stopped by to take photos of the house, due to her concern for the condition it had fallen into. At that time, I happened to meet the people who are now restoring the house. This was very joyful news to my mother and, indeed, to the whole family.Jay Tysonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post-35576820587656022082012-07-29T12:23:18.607-04:002012-07-29T12:23:18.607-04:00I just found out that Hattie Milliken did not die ...I just found out that Hattie Milliken did not die in Delaware, but in Duneiden, Florida. A family member corrected that for me, thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post-86315015653088289912012-06-25T11:56:38.123-04:002012-06-25T11:56:38.123-04:00Scott-
Thanks for the follow up. It does sound li...Scott-<br /><br />Thanks for the follow up. It does sound like a wonderful house. Although it is in private hands, I hope some day to be able to tour it. Hattie obviously had a talent for architecture as the house used to fit in so well with its surroundings (before the widening of Lancaster Pike).Bill Harrisnoreply@blogger.com