Restore America with Bob Vila
In celebration of the millenium, Bob led viewers on an enlightening, year long, 50-state tour of hundreds of historic homes, public buildings, gardens and neighborhoods across America. Kicking off on July 4, 1999 and continuing through July 4, 2000, Bob explored the nation's flourishing restoration boom, celebrating the people working to perserve the best of this country's rich culture, heritage and history as host of HGTV's "Restore America". HGTV periodically rebroadcasts this programming. Check your television listings.
| Alabama (Aired April 16, 2000) |
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Head to the Deep South as this Restore America profiles the heritage and history of Alabama.
• In Selma, residents preserve the First Baptist Church after it was nearly lost in a tornado, and plan a resurrection of the St. James Hotel, built in 1837.
• In Magnolia Springs, David Worthington fulfills a lifelong dream to live in the area, and turns his 100-year-old home into an extraordinary bed-and-breakfast.
• Just across the bay, in Mobile's Oakleigh district, a neighborhood partnership forms and converts an abandoned nursing home into a dwelling for a local family. The group also restores other homes after moving them to Oakleigh.
• Then, America's oldest surviving baseball park, Rickwood Field, struggles to survive in Birmingham, and the Friends of Rickwood pitch in to restore the 1910 ballpark.
• Finally, preservation projects in the Rising-West Princeton community win Birmingham's 1998 Neighborhood of the Year.
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| Alaska (Aired September 5,1999) |
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Restore America explores the great state of Alaska.
• In Fairbanks, visit a home originally built by a mining exploration company, then used as a convent, and finally restored as a home by John and Ann Ringstad.
• Then, travel to Anchorage and tour the Oscar Anderson home, which was built in 1915 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• In Nome, view St. Joseph's Catholic Church, which was restored and is now nominated for a National Register designation.
• Last, join us in Seward and learn the history of the Seward Railroad Depot, restored in 1996 by the Chugach Alaska Corporation. |
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| Arizona (Aired July 18,1999) |
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• Winslow--LaPosada--This is the last railroad hotel built in the nation, constructed in 1930, it was considered seminal Sowthwest architect Mary Colter's masterpiece. Colter designed the place to resemble a century-old Southwest hacienda. She also designed the furniture there. Now restored, it serves as a private home for painter Tina Mion and husband Allan Affeidt. Oh yeah- and a Native American medicine woman regularly blesses the home!
• Phoenix--Heritage Square Historic District--The cornerstone of the block is the Rosson House: a Queen Anne style home built in 1895. The house is now owned by the city and is unique because groups and volunteers all over Phoenix donated time and money to restore it. Also featured here is The Lath House, an anchor on the block and now serves as a Farmer's Market. Smaller homes were moved to the sight in 1974 to help complete the block and the restoration.
• Phoenix--El Encanto--This two story apartment building, built in 1938, is located in the center of downtown Phoenix. El Encanto has been purchased by the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona for use as an official Native-American headquarters for tribes in Arizona.
• Tempe--Elias-Rodriguez House--This adobe house was built by Vicente Elias in 1892. Elias was a migrant worker who acquired the property and the water rights in exchange for working on it. This is the last standing home in what was once a thriving neighborhood. The house is currently being restored and will house a Mexican-American History Museum. |
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| Arkansas (Aired February 6, 2000) |
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This week's Restore America showcases architectural gems and heritage preservation successes in the state of Arkansas.
• In Eureka Springs, a Victorian hotel handsomely moves into its second Golden Age.
• Next in the Quapaw Quarter of Little Rock, two visionaries deter bulldozers with a creative plan to save the oldest standing school in the city.
• In the Mississippi River town of Helena, the second oldest city in the state and home to cotton and the blues, an innovative program is designed to teach restoration techniques and history through architecture.
• Finally, in Piggott, small town in the Northeast corner of the state, a studio that once belonged to Ernest Hemingway is restored, inspiring an entire community to preserve its past.
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California (Aired October 3,1999)
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"California here we come!" on the next Restore America. In Hancock Park, a residential district near downtown Los Angeles, hear how a movie-producing couple purchased and spent two years restoring a Spanish Revival house built in 1928.
• In the Alamo Square neighborhood of San Francisco, compare the three-story Italianate Reutlinger rowhouse, built in 1886 for a Phoenix Bourbon Whiskey distiller, to the surrounding Victorian Revivals.
• South again to San Diego, learn how a 1910 Craftsman designed by architect Irving Gill was restored in keeping with his original blueprints.
• Finally, visit Hollywood's Spaulding Square, an area developed between 1916 and 1926 to house silent film stars and directors. The square's picturesque, Colonial-style bungalows and proximity to the studios continue to draw people from the entertainment industry.
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| Colorado (Aired December 19,1999) |
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With more money per capita for historical preservation than any other state, Colorado is the destination for this episode of Restore America.
• We begin in Denver, where the home of the famous "unsinkable" Molly Brown becomes one of the Mile High City's historic treasures, barely escaping the fate of many other turn-of-the century buildings on fashionable Capitol Hill.
• Also in Denver, an abandoned concrete silo and flourmill survive years of abuse to be reborn as luxury lofts.
• In the resort town of Colorado Springs, the restoration of a Cascade Avenue house uncovers a treasure-trove of antiques, as well as a secret garden. Using historic photographs for guidance, the owner and others recreate the 1901 home's wiring, interior and exterior carpentry, plumbing, roof and fixtures.
• The last stop is in Trinidad, a Colorado town that was once a post along the Santa Fe Trail. Here, on brick streets that cover wagon ruts, a pioneer merchant's house becomes a modern studio and home.
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| Connecticut (Aired June 11, 2000) |
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Join HGTV in one of the original 13 colonies, Connecticut, on next week's presentation of Restore America.
• In the New London County town of Waterford, a group of dedicated volunteers muster forces to restore an abandoned mansion where the Harkness family once lived.
• In the coastal town of Guilford, one of the state's oldest neighborhoods sees new life as a historic district, and a former captain's unique 19th-century home is revived by a modern couple.
• Near Norwich, in the town of Scotland, the almost-forgotten Samuel Huntington House emerges as a local landmark.
• Nearby, in the Windham County community of Thompson, residents show how their historic homes preserve this "Quiet Corner" of Connecticut.
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| Delaware (Aired August 8,1999) |
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Restore America visits Dover, Delaware and the restored Richardson Hall home.
• Next we travel to Seaford and the historic, restored Governor Ross Mansion and Plantation.
• Third, we take a trip to the Delaware seashore and visit a restored 1876 Lifesaving Station near Bethany Beach and the Judge Hugh Morris home in Newark, built in the 1740s and recently restored.
• Last, we tour the restored Greenbank Mill in Wilmington which was once used as a sawmill. We complete our journey at the Gibraltar Gardens in Wilmington. |
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| Florida (Aired July 11,1999) |
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St. Augustine--We will be visiting with Mayor Len Weeks- obviously the mayor of St. Augustine, but he's also a contractor who's spear headed a movement to help restore the city. The City's Historic Preservation and Heritage Tourism Department is responsible for the preservation and restoration of our Nation's oldest historic treasures. The Department's mission is to assist the state of Florida in researching, interpreting, conserving, promoting and protecting the historic and archaeological heritage of the city of St. Augustine. The Department also provides leadership in the preservation of the City's valuable cultural resources.
• Tampa--Ybor City--While in Tampa, we will meet Manny Alvarez, his grandfather worked in the city's cigar industry, he is a realtor who restores homes. Ybor City is known as the cultural and entertainment hub of Tampa, it is full of galleries ,ethnic eateries, clubs and history. Several weekends a year Ybor hosts festivals celebrating anything from rhythm and blues , to local legend "Mama Guava", to black beans. The former "Cigar Capital of the World", originally the home of the V.M. Ybor Cigar Company, this impressive brick building was built in 1886 by Vincente Martinez-Ybor. It now houses several stores and restaurants. Historic markers note that Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders passed through Ybor square on occasion.
• Miami--Helen Mar Penthouse Suite--The Helen Mar was once a hotel in Miami's South Beach area, which has since been converted to private residences. The hotel may have gotten it's name from Jane Porter's historical novel, "The Scottish Chiefs", which features a romantic and heroic figure named Helen Mar. Famed architect Peter Hawrylowicz restored the Penthouse Suite and now calls it home. Other projects he's done include designing a suite in the Impala Hotel(also in Miami), , and he worked on the Casa Casuarina, which is the late designer Gianni Versace's home, a Jazz Age palazzo on Ocean Drive.
• Key West--Bahama Village--This is one of the last real communities in Key West, it is the historic Afro-Caribbean section of Old Town, and is much as it was five generations ago when black and white Bahamians and Cubans settled on this island. Their descendants still live in tiny shotgun cottages. Norma Jean Sawyer is fighting to save the land and restore those small houses. The area is filled with small markets, bakeries, barber shops and rib shacks. Lots of friendly dogs and barn animals roam the streets. The entrance is at Petronia and Duval, where an elaborate wrought-iron arch way heralds the neighborhood. Bahama Village is bordered by Angela, Duval and Louisa Streets.
• Donkey Milk House--The restored Greek Revival home was built in 1866, and sits on the ally where donkeys once pulled milk delivery carts. It features Spanish tile floors, painted ceilings and various displays of period antiques, including Bokhara and Kazak rugs and Oakville, royal Doulton and Wedgewood china. It was restored by Denison Temple, an architect from Wisconsin who worked for many years in London before returning to the U.S. and settling in Key West.
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| Georgia (Aired August 15,1999) |
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Georgia is our selection for this episode of Restore America. From Atlanta's Martin Luther King Historic District and Sweet Auburn neighborhood, to Jimmy Carter's boyhood community in Plains, we unveil structures that have had a significant place in our nation's history.
• In Macon, Scottish-born Maryel Battin touts her preservation group's successes, and Savannah's Jane Coslick describes her dedication to gardens and cottages on the Isle of Hope.
• Former President Carter provides the historical context of Georgia and shares the secrets of his success as a preservationist. |
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| Hawaii (Aired August 29,1999) |
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The state of Hawaii's garden paradise awaits in the next episode of Restore America.
• On the largest island, travel to the Shipman House bed and breakfast and see why Hilo's downtown Main Street Project received an historic preservation award.
• Follow the resurrection of a special church and the Allerton Gardens on the island of Kauai, both of which suffered damage after Hurricane Iniki in 1992.
• Finally, on Oahu, hear the story of a 1906 plantation house purchased and restored by the American Cancer Society. |
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| Idaho (Aired November 28,1999) |
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• On the shores of Hayden Lake, the Clark House, built by a railroad and mining millionaire, is brought back to its original glory. The villa is modeled after the summer home of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany's last member of royalty.
• On a smaller scale, a potato farmer's restoration of a turn-of-the-century Greek Revival mansion sparks work in an entire Idaho Falls neighborhood.
• And on Boise's Warm Springs Avenue, a couple reinvents their California Mission-style home after discovering plans drawn by Charles Hummel in the early 1900s.
• Finally, in the town of Robie Creek, a cabin that singer/songwriter Carole King once called her own is resurrected, thanks to the vision and hard work of its current owners.
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Illinois (Aired October 17,1999)
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Reflecting the proud history of the state, the homes and buildings of Illinois are featured on the next episode of Restore America.
• In Peoria, the local Landmark Foundation, under the guidance of Les Kenyon, is a driving force behind protecting the city's architectural history.
• In the 200-person town of Elsah, the spirit of Historic Elsah Foundation originator Chuck Hosmer inspires the historic city to rebuild after severe floods in the summer of 1993.
• In Rockford, a committed preservationist takes on utility company, a bank and the city, itself, to save a neighborhood on the brink of extinction.
• Finally, on Chicago's South Side, a musician fights to revive his childhood neighborhood and to restore a famous hotel where America's great jazz musicians once played.
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| Indiana (Aired March 19, 2000) |
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Travel with HGTV to Indiana on the next episode of Restore America. In Indianapolis, 300 properties, including homes on Fletcher Place and Ransom Place, are saved in communities built by Irish, German and Afican-American immigrants.
• Just off Route 40, near the town of Green Castle, a couple spends ten years restoring Rising Hall Mansion, one of the largest homes in the country, built in the 1870s as part of a horse farm.
• In Noblesville, a young couple marries on the front porch of their 1880 Italianate, vowing to restore the home, and later expanding it to accommodate a growing family.
• And finally, in Beverly Shores, the Florida Tropical House, one of four remaining art deco buildings from the 1933 Chicago "Century of Progress" World's Fair, becomes a free home to a couple willing to restore it.
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| Iowa (Aired March 12, 2000) |
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• On the shores of Okoboji Lake, the curator of the local maritime museum leads a fight to save Arnold's Park, the oldest amusement park west of the Mississippi River. Other onshore efforts include restoration of two Victorian cottages and a cluster of buildings, including an icehouse and a carriage house.
• In the small town of Decorah, neighbors unite to re-establish the area's Norwegian heritage, preserving the town's library, "Octagon House" and Hotel Winneshiek in the process.
• In Cedar Rapids, the influence of Czech immigrants is revealed in the architecture of the Third Street neighborhood. There, a Czech-influenced lodge hall is restored by artists and an abandoned warehouse becomes housing for low-income families.
• Finally, residents of the Madison County town of Winterset help to save a crumbling limestone home and farmhouse built in the 1800's.
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| Kansas (Aired June 18, 2000) |
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• In the small community of Victoria, a retired couple spend 25 years restoring their family farm, which includes a home built by a descendent of the town's original German settlers.
• Then, restoration becomes a family affair as a brother and sister team rescues two early 20th-century farmsteads, one in the town of Colby and the other in Hoxie.
• Next, a history major helps to preserve historic properties in Lawrence, where the University of Kansas was founded and poet Langston Hughes once lived.
• Finally, a Topeka resident returns to his home town of Pretty Prairie to revive the local theater and his parents' farm.
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| Kentucky (Aired May 7, 2000) |
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This episode of Restore America offers a look a state that inspired Stephen Collins Foster to write "My Old Kentucky Home" in 1853.
• Founded in the mid-1700s by pioneers like Daniel Boone, the area that is now Kentucky is bordered by the mighty Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Great river boats brought commerce to Kentucky, spurring towns to grow along the shores.
• This heritage is preserved in places like Paducah, on the banks of the Ohio River, where a contractor fights to restore the historic waterfront.
• In Covington, a priest's effort to save his church helps to preserve an entire neighborhood.
• Next, in Bowling Green, a businessman restores a mansion he once dreamed of owning as a ten-year old-boy.
• The final stop is in Lexington, where horse farms and historic districts abound.
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| Louisiana (Aired July 25,1999) |
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New Orleans--Garden District--First, we will be profiling a mansion on St. Charles Street which has been in the same family since before the turn of the century. The next stop will be to Ursuline Academy--this is America's oldest girls' school as well as the site at which the Battle of New Orleans ended.
• Lake Charles--Bob will be visiting with Stacy Shearman, she owns two houses in the Charpentler District, A 20 block neighborhood designed before the turn of the century by tradesmen. Carpenters built these homes, many of which are on stilts, because of regular flooding.
• Baton Rouge--Jared Young Sanders House--Mr. Sanders was intended victim of a murder plot by former governor Huey Long. His daughter, Mary Elizabeth, still lives in the mint condition 1829 bungalow home. In Baton Rouge's Garden District we will stop by The Gottlieb Compound. Originally a home built for the Gottlieb family, the property evolved as the children got married and built additional homes for themselves. At present, the Compound covers an entire block in the downtown area.
• Port Allen--Popular Grove Plantation--Originally built for use as a pavilion at the 1881 World's Fair, this 115 year-old home is a bizarre combination of Chinese Temple and Eastlake styles. It is a great example of plantation life, and has been in the same family since 1886.
• St. Francisville--We will profile the town itself, home to 80 sites on the historic register. The town is a unique area, two miles long by two miles wide. While there, we may also profile some of Francisville's home owners and visit Afton Villa, a public garden. Oulda, a bed and breakfast, was once an old plantation house. The present owner found original architectural drawings and completely restored the B&B as well as the carriage house.
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| Maine (Aired October 31,1999) |
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On the "Quiet Side" of Mount Desert Island, just off the coast of Maine, residents and professionals work together to keep Southwest Harbor intact. Featured are a wooden-boat owner, a contractor who treats restorations like works of art, and a newcomer with a passion for old homes.
• In Bangor, a husband and wife team takes on the historic downtown area, finding new and creative ways to use old buildings. Included in the restoration is the couple's 19th-century Gothic Revival home.
• In the twin cities of Lewiston and Auburn, two determined mayors work together to revitalize the area's old mills--structures that provided jobs and a sound economic base for over a hundred years.
• Finally, in South Paris, an energetic young woman rallies an entire community to guarantee that one man's garden will always bloom. Nurtured for over 60 years, this garden is for all seasons, each bringing a new set of textures and colors.
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| Maryland (Aired March 5, 2000) |
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• Off the shores of Chesapeake Bay, in historic Annapolis, we walk back in time with an architectural historian as he restores his ancestral home on Duke of Gloucester Street.
• In Baltimore's Federal Hill neighborhood, they may look the same on the outside, but these old row houses are getting a brand-new look on the inside and a sense of community is rekindled. Included are a former firehouse and a former parsonage that have been converted into family homes.
• In the western part of the state, the tiny town of Sharpsburg works to ensure its Civil War roots are not forgotten.
• Finally, in Cumberland, the downtown district is enhanced when a Broadway star lends a hand to restore an old theater in his hometown.
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| Massachusetts (Aired April 9, 2000) |
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• In the suburbs of Boston, visit the Shirley-Eustis House and Estate in Roxbury, restorations in the National Historic District of Eagle Hill, and the Beebe Estate in Melrose.
• Travel to the town of Marshfield, where local citizens saved the 16-acre estate that once belonged to Daniel Webster, and rallied to have the property included on the National Register of Historic Places.
• In New Salem, witness the restoration of the Old Academy, a picturesque Colonial building that was once on Historic Massachusetts' "most endangered" list.
• Finally, in the western part of the state, follow the ongoing restoration of the charming, 19th-century mill town of Lee.
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Michigan (Aired November 7, 1999)
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Taking place in Michigan, this episode of Restore America showcases the taxpayer-funded restoration of the Hackley and Hume houses in Muskegon.
• In the seafaring town of Port Huron, Kristi Hazard, Lynne Secory and other townspeople work together to restore Main Street, and homeowners Sue and Marv Burke preserve their 1896 Victorian inn.
• A few miles north of downtown Detroit, a Haitian immigrant named Julio Bateau restores an entire block of houses on Ferry Street. The University Cultural Center and the Detroit Institute of Arts begin to transform four historic homes into a bed and breakfast.
• Also in Detroit, the old Garfield Building, owned by the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, is completely restored and converted into trendy lofts.
• Finally, the beautifully restored Oak Hill estate takes its place among more than 800 restored buildings in the town of Marshall, located in south-central Michigan.
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| Minnesota (Aired December 26,1999) |
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As host of some 12,000 lakes, Minnesota is a land of rich and diverse natural wonders. It is also the birthplace of notables ranging from Judy Garland, Bob Dylan and Charles Shultz, to Sinclair Lewis, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Eugene McCarthy.
• The first stop on Restore America's tribute to Minnesota is Duluth, where a community built by the steel industry is revived by devoted residents.
• Moving on to Rice County, the restored Veblen Farmstead stands as testament to its builder, a Norwegian immigrant.
• Tributes to Minnesota's Scandinavia heritage are also apparent in St. Paul, where the Upper Swede Hollow Neighborhoods Association spurs a community-wide restoration project.
• Finally, in Minneapolis, local citizens band together to restore a warehouse and return the literary arts to an almost forgotten riverfront neighborhood.
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| Mississippi (Aired May 28, 2000) |
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On this Restore America episode, visit Jackson, where the Farish Street neighborhood becomes a close-knit community with a common goal to resurrect the glory days of the entertainment district. Restoration of the Alamo Theatre and 38 shotgun houses are featured.
• In Natchez, the town's history and culture becomes the driving force behind a partnership formed to restore antebellum homes in the area, including Traveler's Rest, which had remained vacant for 40 years.
• Then, in Clay County, on the outskirts of Columbus, see the spectacular results of a family's meticulous 30-year restoration of a magnificent plantation house known as Waverley.
• Finally, see how a grandson and his family honor their grandfather's memory by returning Sedgewood, a Greek Revival planter's cottage located in Canton, to its original condition as the main house on a working farm.
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| Missouri (Aired August 22,1999) |
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In this episode of Restore America, go inside historic nineteenth-century homes in St. Louis' Soulard Neighborhood, and visit the owners of the Inn on Crescent Lake, a restored three-story brick Colonial Revival mansion in Excelsior Springs.
• In Hermann, savor the vintage from the Stone Hill Winery, which still maintains the world's largest underground wine cellars.
• Ending the journey in the Norman Rockwell-like town of Independence, tour a Greek Revival home restored in the 1950's. |
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Montana (Aired November 14, 1999)
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On this episode of Restore America, travel with Bob Vila to our country's fourth largest state, Montana. There, visit Virginia City, the best-preserved 19th-century gold rush town in the West, thanks to local residents following the lead of renegade preservationist Charlie Bovie.
• In Montana's capital, Helena, see the luxurious mansions of the gold rush days restored by an artist with her head in the stars and her feet on the ground.
• Then take a spiritual journey to Swan Lake and the healing grounds of Kootenai Lodge, regarded as Montana's finest rustic log architecture.
• Finally, journey south to the luxurious Gallatin Gateway Inn, built in 1927 as the last outpost of civilization for eastern travelers. Learn how the inn has been returned to its grandeur in the 1980s and '90s.
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| Nebraska (Aired February 20, 2000) |
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On this episode of Restore America we visit Omaha, where three locals help to save and invigorate abandoned warehouses in the downtown neighborhood of Old Market, just a few blocks from the Missouri River.
• In Comstock, hear how one family, together with the local community, preserved the historic Dowse Sod House for almost a century.
• In Grand Island, meet a couple who restored their dream home, one of the few early turn-of-the-century mansions still standing in the town and turned the first floor into an Italian restaurant.
• Finally, in a neighborhood just south of the capitol building in Lincoln, learn how a community known as Russian Bottoms has preserved its German and Russian heritage by restoring a grocery store, a church and several homes built by immigrants in the late 1800's and early 1900's. |
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| Nevada (Aired April 2, 2000) |
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On this presentation of Restore America, join HGTV on a journey to Nevada, where people are proud of their state's colorful mining history and are dedicated to preserving the heritage of the "Silver State."
• In the culturally diverse town of Virginia City, a Victorian home is resurrected after surviving the silver boom and bust of the Comstock Lode.
• At the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, in the Reno neighborhood known as "Mansion Row," the home of a visionary builder is preserved.
• In the remote yet picturesque ghost town of Belmont, an old mining office is given new life as an inn, and its owner begins to convert another structure into a rib house.
• Halfway between Reno and Las Vegas, in the town of Tonopah, lessons learned from the Belmont restorations are applied as a decaying stone house is meticulously and authentically restored.
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| New Hampshire (Aired January 9, 2000) |
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Join HGTV for this week's presentation of Restore America, which features one of our country's original 13 colonies, New Hampshire, the Granite State.
• In the coastal town of Portsmouth, the preservation of the historic Wendell home, built in 1789, fulfills a childhood dream.
• Just outside the state capital of Concord, a couple and a master craftsman struggle to save one of the last authentic farmhouses in the state. The Sanborn Mill Farm is a rare survivor of what was once a common type of agricultural complex in Northern New England.
• In Drewsville, a town of 300 located in the western part of the state, the preservation of a historic mansion creates affordable housing for a number of families.
• And finally, on the shores of Lake Sunapee in the town of Newbury, the restoration of "The Fells" and the John Hay National Wildlife Refuge preserves a haven for more than just plants and animals. |
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| New Jersey (Aired June 25, 2000) |
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As a result of New Jersey's role as a commercial crossroads, many wealthy cities sprang up in the state, reflecting the opulence of the Gilded Age.
• In the city of Lambertville, an amateur historian and a landscape architect remind neighbors of a street's proud past by restoring a Victorian home that was once a funeral parlor.
• In the town of Montclair, a church group inspires the community to save a mansion to provide housing for seniors.
• In Roadstown, a couple return to their home town, determined to save a rare patterned-brick farmhouse built in 1728.
• Finally, after six years of historical detective work, an architect in the village of Greenwich restores an 18th-century home to its original colonial era.
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| New Mexico (Aired August 01,1999) |
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New Mexico is rich in history and heritage. Restore America takes a look at a church restored by a small community in Rociada.
• Then in Belen, a railroad hotel has been restored by a couple plentiful in love, creativity and patience.
• Then on to Chimayo where Rancho Manzana, almost a town unto itself has been restored and is now a beautiful bed and breakfast.
• Finally, in Santa Fe we visit the Acequia Compound and the Glassman House, an Arts and Crafts style bungalow restored to its original beauty. |
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| New York (Aired January 16, 2000) |
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In the Finger Lakes region of New York State, Restore America visits Auburn, where an ingenious approach to restoration saves the home of a former whaling ship captain. The area is peppered with other homes steeped in history, including those of William Seward and Harriet Tubman.
• In New York City, formerly abandoned brownstones in Harlem are being restored to a splendor that rivals the most expensive homes in Manhattan. In the Bronx, the Andrew Freedman Home is converted into a senior citizens center and also houses a Head Start program for youths.
• In Essex, a stone's throw from Vermont, an entire town gives its support to the restoration of an historic, pre-Civil War inn. Essex's Greystone Mansion is also featured.
• Finally, in the Hudson River Valley town of Newburgh, the state's largest historic district receives a facelift.
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| North Carolina (Aired March 26, 2000) |
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Located in the Piedmont area of North Carolina, the town of Salisbury is one of the state's oldest cities. Here, a local foundation buys and sells historic properties that are threatened, 70 structures to date, recycling all profits into the next restoration.
• South of Salisbury, in the city of Charlotte, a local judge has helped to transform a crime-infested Wesley Heights neighborhood into a stunning historic district.
• In the quaint coastal community of Beaufort, thanks to the local mayor and his interest in preservation in the 1960s, more than 100 18th and 19th-century buildings and homes have been saved and now draw tourism to the area.
• Finally, four miles from Bakersville, a former resident returns to Cane's Creek to rescue his family's 100-year-old mill and make it functional once again. This sole effort has spurred a renaissance of restoration in nearby Bakersville.
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North Dakota (Aired October 24,1999)
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We travel to North Dakota on this episode of Restore America. In Grand Forks, a community rebuilds after being devastated by a 1997 flood, and a warehouse that was once a Ford Model A dealership is converted into a restaurant. The Grand Forks Opera House is also featured.\
• In Devil's Lake, descendants of the town's pioneers restore their 1906 home, and Fort Totten, located on an Indian reservation, serves as a school and will soon offer an inn.
• In Carrington, a family fights to stop the removal of a house built by one of town's founders, while the owner of the Pipestem Creek farm houses her business--making and selling edible bird feeders--in abandoned graineries and a former train depot.
• Finally, in Bismark, Native American tribes occupy Fort Abraham Lincoln, a site that was once under the command of General Custer but is now--ironically--used for national pow-wows.
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| Ohio (Aired February 27, 2000) |
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In Columbus, Ohio, an energetic couple is restoring two separate homes and helping to revive old neighborhoods at the same time.
• Also in Columbus are houses and store fronts in the German Village neighborhood, as well as Victorian homes along East Broad Street.
• In Dayton, preservation is underway in McPherson Town, where a school is being restored as an apartment building, and a West Grand neighborhood is receiving a face lift.
• Along the Ohio River, one of the oldest homes in the town of Portsmouth is in the final stages of restoration, and a structure that was once a monastery is being transformed into a single-family house.
• Finally, in Cincinnati, residents of the Over-the-Rhine district are bringing abandoned buildings back to life, and a Girls Hope House is established in East Walnut Hills.
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| Oklahoma (Aired January 2, 2000) |
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Ring in the New Year by traveling with HGTV to Oklahoma on this presentation of Restore America.
• North of Oklahoma City, Arcadia occupies a spot on Route 66, where the town displays its famous Round Barn, built in 1898. Residents and historical societies have joined forces to preserve the landmark.
• In Commerce, in the heart of what was once Indian territory and the Dust Bowl, baseball great Mickey Mantle's childhood home is in the early stages of restoration.
• In Guthrie, the former state capital, a collection of Victorian architecture is preserved, and what was once the Elks Hotel is transformed into a home.
• Another historic landmark, Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, met its demise in the 1950s with the advent of television. Once host to country greats like Hank Williams and Roy Acuff, the venue--also known as the Home of Bob Wills--has recently been revived.
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| Oregon (Aired January 23, 2000) |
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This episode of Restore America affords a glimpse of Oregon's historic treasures. In Salem, the capital of the Beaver State, a neighborhood bands together to buy and restore a house that posed a real threat to the future of their community.
• In Portland, one of the most sophisticated and visited cities in the state, the owners of a 1913 Swiss chalet at the foot of Mount Tabor find that doing only "what the house will allow" is the key to a successful restoration. The restored chalet has garnered a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Also in Portland, two devoted do-it-yourselfers with a keen desire for authenticity embark on their third journey of restoration.
• South of Portland, in the small town of Aurora, another community is fighting to preserve the home of the family that, in the mid-1800s, established and guided the state's only religious commune.
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Pennsylvania (Aired September 19,1999)
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A state rich with historical stories and structures, Pennsylvania is featured on the next installment of Restore America.
• In Pittsburgh, grand Victorians on Black Street are restored with the help of the Garfield Jubilee Association, and architectural gems are revealed in the Manchester district.
• Over the Mulberry Street Bridge in the city of Harrisburg, an industrial McFarland Press Building is transformed into a home for elderly and low income residents.
• In Reading, an historic art deco landmark is revived as a hotel and conference center.
• In Philadelphia, a Fairmont Park preservation group saves a house built in the 1700s, and the Ridgway Library, built in 1878, becomes the home of the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts.
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| Rhode Island (Aired February 13, 2000) |
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Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the country, only 1,212 square miles, but Rhode Islanders have big reasons to be proud of their history.
• In North Kingstown, a neighborhood association rescues a 17th-century plantation house known as Smith's Castle, and raises the funds to restore this colonial landmark.
• In Woonsocket, two devoted builders, in partnership with the local mayor, transform abandoned mill houses on Lincoln Street and Constitution Hill into vibrant new neighborhoods.
• In Middletown, a group of citizens rallies and raises the necessary capital to move and restore a unique 19th-century windmill.
• Finally, in Newport, years before the town's famous estates were built, a couple buys and proudly restores a neglected - yet romantic - Bellevue Avenue mansion.
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| South Carolina (Aired December 5,1999) |
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Join us in South Carolina for this episode of Restore America. Featured locations include Charleston, St. Helena Island, Abbeville and Olympia Mill Village.
• With guidance from the Historic Charleston Foundation, thousands of homes and businesses - many of them architectural gems - are preserved and restored in the city.
• On St. Helena Island, imported culture and industries are the focus of the Gullah and Geechee Coalition's preservation effort.
• In Abbeville, once known as the "Best Little Town in South Carolina," a local opera house resurrection sparks the renewal of the downtown historic district.
• Finally, just outside the city limits of Columbia, the state capital, the history and architecture of Olympia Mill Village is unveiled. Large efforts in this small community help to restore and divide a mammoth 1898 cotton mill into condominiums, assisted living apartments and retail businesses.
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| South Dakota (Aired April 23, 2000) |
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In this episode of Restore America, Bob Vila will visit the diverse state of South Dakota.
* In Hot Springs, a local citizens group is fighting to save the beautiful sandstone buildings that line the downtown streets.
• The next stop is in the town of Deadwood, where the entire location is registered as an Historic District, and a former resident returns to restore the beautiful old homes he remembers from his childhood.
• Another destination is Sturgis, where a retired schoolteacher and her husband are lovingly restoring a historic home.
• And finally, in Sioux Falls, a mother assumes the role of activist as she encourages the reconstruction and preservation of the town's homes and history.
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| Tennessee (Aired November 21,1999) |
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This week's Restore America takes place in the Tennessee, the Volunteer State. In Edgefield, a suburb of Nashville, a resident and the local historic organization restore a neighborhood that suffered the "urban renewal" of the 1950s and 1960s. Also in Edgefield, we look inside a rehabilitated 19th-century, once kitchen-less home.
• Next, two Chattanoogans become significant players in transforming their city, from restoring the Walnut Street Bridge to saving 30 homes in a neighborhood north of the bridge.
• Moving on to Memphis, a church pastor and a preservationist unite to save 18 historic shotgun homes built between 1895 and 1915.
• Finally, in the small, turn-of-the-century town of Etowah, a former resident returns to help save a beloved train depot. In three years, with the help of government-sponsored workers, the depot is brought back to it original glory.
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| Texas (Aired July 4,1999) |
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Beaumont, Oaks Historic District--Bob will be visiting homes representative of the diversity of Beaumont, perfectly preserved homes. The Flynn/Hobson House, a large home with 2 ballrooms, one that was converted into 4 bedrooms. The Bill Johnson Home was featured in "Better Homes and Gardens" in the 1940's, and is very well preserved. The Boyd House, a 1920's style house is currently owned by attorney Jordan Home, it was once owned by a wholesale grocer and is a well preserved craftsman home.
• Galveston, Menard House--This is Galveston's oldest home, built in 1838, and once ordered by the city to be demolished, when Fred and Pat Burns, a civic-minded couple bought and began restoring the house in 1994. After restoring the home they thought they would live in- they gave the house back to the Galveston Historical Society so that everyone could enjoy the home. The Menard house is used as a museum, while the Burns' live in another home they restored, Hutchings House.
• San Antonio--Missions National Park--San Antonio's missions were built to endure as symbols to God and the Spanish crown. They were part of a chain of missions established early in the 18th century by the Franciscan Order of the Catholic Church during the period of Spain's greatest colonial power. Their cultural influence on the land and its people was profound. The self-sustaining, multipurpose establishments served as churches, fortifications, Indian pueblos, military barracks, schools and granaries. All four missions located along Mission Trail still serve as parish churches. The San Antonio Missions National Historic Park includes all of the missions except for the Alamo. San Antonio is one of the few urban areas in the United States that has a National Park within its city limits. The National Park Service has assigned interpretive themes to each of the four missions within the park. The city's Mission Trail begins at the Alamo and winds southward along a nine-mile stretch of the San Antonio River.
• Mission Conception is the oldest un-restored Texas mission; it was established in 1781 and took more than twenty years to build. The twin towers and handsome cupola are memorable visual impressions. Rare original frescoes in red, blue and ochre are still in evidence on the interior walls.
• The Alamo--This is the most famous spot in Texas where all 189 defenders fell on March 5,1835, after a 15-day siege by Mexican General Santa Anna's Army. But an undying battle cry was born...REMEMBER THE ALAMO. Mission San Antonio de Valero (The Alamo) was established in 1718 as the city's first mission. The chapel, one of the most photographed facades in the nation, is all that remains of the original fort. Near the chapel is the Long Barracks Museum and Library. The museum contains relics and momentous from the republic of Texas and is highlighted by narration's on the fall of the Alamo. Although the Alamo is located in the heart of the city, inside the beautifully landscaped grounds one hardly notices the busy city outside.
• San Antonio--River Walk--The River Walk, also known as The Paseo del Rio, in the heart of downtown, is the pride of the city. Lush green subtropical foliage lines the banks of the peaceful jade green river. Cobblestone walkways lead the visitors to the river-level restaurants, shops and nightclubs, The river threads it's way through the city one level bellow the busy streets.
• San Antonio--King William Neighborhood--Overlooking the River Walk, a 25-block area near downtown on the south bank of the San Antonio River, is known as the King William Neighborhood. In the late 1800's, the King William District was the most elegant residential area in the city. Prominent German merchants originally settled the area. It was zoned as the states first historic district, and has once again become a fashionable neighborhood. Many of the stately mansions are still being restored, while many of the other already beautifully restored Victorian homes reveal the grand life of an earlier day. Of particular interest is the Steves Homestead.
• San Antonio--Monte Vista Neighborhood--Monte Vista is one of the largest historic neighborhoods in the U.S. that has remained as the original architects, builders, and residents intended it. The magnificent homes on hilly, tree-lined streets are located just a few miles from downtown, which, nearly 100 years later, continues to make it one of the most desirable addresses in San Antonio. The historic district is actually the combined subdivisions of Laurel Heights Terrace, Summit Place, and Monte Vista, mostly developed by the real-estate firm of Rogers and Hill. From the 1800's through 1920's architects such as Alfred Giles, Atlas Ayers, Ralph Cameron, Harvey Paige, and J. Riely Gordon designed extraordinary homes here for the city's most notable citizens. Styles vary from Renaissance Revival mansions to Hollywood bungalows. Schools, both public and private and churches of many denominations were also established in the neighborhood, followed by retail businesses and professional offices. Today, a determined group of residents and business people work together to preserve the neighborhood's integrity, ensuring that it prospers and thrives for many generations.
• Dallas--Swiss Ave. Historical District--In this segment we will feature Virginia Savage McAllister, the daughter of Wallace Savage, former mayor of Dallas, who's formed a group called Preservation Dallas, committed to restoring homes in the Dallas area. The early 20th century homes range from very modest to mansion size. Immaculately restored homes and the first residential historic district in Dallas- sort of upscale-type homes will also be featured.
• Dallas--State Fair Park--This park, (also being saved by Preservation Dallas), is the site of the State Fair of Texas, is located in east Dallas near the downtown business district. It is owned by the city of Dallas and is jointly operated by the Dallas Park and Recreation Department and the State Fair of Texas Association. In 1985 the 227-acre site was the home to the State Fair, the Cotton Bowl, and five museums. Fair Park houses one of the greatest concentrations of early 20th century Art Deco exposition buildings in the United States. |
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| Utah (Aired April 30, 2000) |
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Next Restore America travels to several Utah cities dedicated to an assortment of restoration plans.
• In Salt Lake City, tour an historic neighborhood, the Avenues, where Don and Jane Stromquist restore a brick home constructed in 1881.
• Also in Salt Lake City, an elegant four-story Queen Anne home built in 1890 is restored by Brek and Jenny Anderson in an effort that includes the entire family.
• In Ogden, the city's Neighborhood Development Agency institutes a novel plan that encourages residents to restore historic homes. The plan allows Jim Love to purchase his 1886 home for one dollar.
• In Park City, Doug and Ellie Stephens preserve their 1892 home at the top of Main Street.
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| Vermont (Aired May 14, 2000) |
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On this episode of Restore America, Bob Vila joins residents and communities committed to preserving the towns and history of Vermont.
• In historic Bellows Falls, a couple discovers the ups and downs of restoring a hundred-year-old house.
• In Shelburne, when the wishes of a family combine with a historic preservation architect's dream, thousands of people, young and old, reap the rewards.
• Just outside the town of Burlington, an archaic army fort becomes the unlikely setting for families to own a piece of history.
• Finally, in Manchester, the renovation of the Robert Todd Lincoln mansion is followed by the reconstruction of the gardens where President Abraham Lincoln's grandchildren once played.
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Virginia (Aired September 26,1999)
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Venture to Virginia on the next Restore America. With more than 200 designated historic districts, Virginia is rich with restorations-in-progress and architectural triumphs.
• In Hampton, tour the Aberdeen Gardens neighborhood, where the local historic association lobbied to have the town listed on the national and state historic registers.
• Then, follow a couple as they partner with business owners to restore the underlying beauty of Staunton, the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson.
• Just outside Richmond, meet a family dedicated to preserving the 300-year-old Shirley Plantation, the oldest in the state.
• Lastly, enjoy the panorama of historic Fredericksburg, from its Federal Row buildings downtown to its Civil War battlefields.
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Washington (Aired October 10,1999)
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Coming up on the next Restore America, Bob Vila and the HGTV cameras capture restoration endeavors in the state of Washington.
• In Seattle's Central District, a couple lovingly spend 15 years preserving their Victorian residence, replacing everything from wiring to flooring.
• In the state's second-largest city, Spokane, another husband-and-wife team buys back the family farm to preserve it for generations to come. On the city's south side, Tim Merck offers a tour of his Tudor home, a structure that captured his attention as a small boy.
• In Washington's capital city, Olympia, Daniel Bigelow III explains how his great-grandfather's home has been converted into a museum with the help of the city and many volunteers.
• Traveling to Port Townsend, we visit with a pair of transplanted Floridians, who transform an Italianate manor into their new home.
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West Virginia (Aired September 12,1999)
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Delving into the rich history of West Virginia, this episode of Restore America features Governor Cecil Underwood's home and farm in the tiny hamlet of Joseph's Mills, two hours from the more familiar Charleston. The rustic location is in stark contrast with the Governor's Mansion at city center.
• Also on the itinerary is the town of Wheeling, where Snookie Nutting strives to add yet another building to her list of successful restorations. Her roster includes such structures as St. Joseph's Cathedral and the YMCA building.
• In Charles Town, residents Don and Mary Jo Kennard explain why they moved into and restored a home that once belonged to George Washington's grand-nephew, Colonel Lewis Washington, and in Matewan, learn how this tiny town - made famous by a coal strike and a feud between the Hatfield and McCoy families - earned it a berth on the National Register.
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| Wisconsin (Aired December 12,1999) |
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On this episode of Restore America, we head north to the land of lakes and fertile pastures: Wisconsin.
• In Eau Claire, two families, four houses and a street corner bear tribute to a bygone era. We will take a tour of Robert and Ellen Fanning's beautifully restored home in this neighborhood.
• In Milwaukee, a dedicated teacher leads the way and motivates local residents to come together to restore neglected, inner-city neighborhoods.
• In scenic Door County, restoration efforts funded by tourists help bring back to life some of Wisconsin's grandest homes. Included is a couple who went to all lengths to transform four historic structures into Sturgeon Bay's White Lace Inn.
• Then, in Wisconsin's capital city of Madison, a family molds their 1894 Victorian to complement the rich history of the University Heights neighborhood.
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| Wyoming (Aired Date May 21, 2000) |
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Tour the historic towns and sites in Wyoming on the upcoming Restore America.
* Just south of Buffalo, a husband and wife make their dream come true as they restore building after building on an 8,000-acre ranch that was once the site of a gun battle.
• In Rawlins, a mining town in the southern part of the state, a mammoth home, built in the 1800s by a livestock and mining entrepreneur, is transformed from a derelict apartment building into a grand Victorian dwelling.
• Adjacent to the Teton Mountains and Jackson Hole, a husband and wife purchase the oldest structure in the town of Wilson, and eventually use it as a domicile as well as a showcase for art.
• Finally, two transplanted Californians move to the town of Douglas, where they restore a foursquare brick home, built in 1903, and discover hand-painted murals in the process.
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