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President Bush's childhood home in Midland is dedicated
Star Telegram.com ^ | Apr. 12, 2006 | BETSY BLANEY

Posted on 04/12/2006 5:08:30 AM PDT by AmericanMade1776

First lady Laura Bush joined her in-laws Tuesday as the couple returned to the small Midland home where President Bush spent part of his youth.

A $1.8 million restoration has brought the one-story, three-bedroom house back to the way it looked in the early 1950s, when George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, lived there.

The Bushes began the dedication of the George W. Bush Childhood Home by walking out the front door and addressing about 700 people, including childhood friends of the president, other people who have lived in the house and politicians.

Barbara Bush recalled thinking the house was enormous when they bought it.

"You all look at it as a little house," she said. "It was a terrific house to live in. We loved it here."


(Excerpt) Read more at dfw.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: bushfamily; midland; museum
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To: wagglebee
I disagree about the floors. More than likely a house built in the 50's in that part of the country would have hard wood everywhere except the bathrooms and kitchen. Now they could have been covered up with a carpet, but I would bet underneath hardwood.
21 posted on 04/12/2006 6:16:23 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: mariabush
I am being criticized for pointing out that the cost seems excessive. Apparently this figure also includes the costs to build museum facilities (restrooms, gift shop, parking, etc.), even though this "fact" is not mentioned ANYWHERE in the article.
22 posted on 04/12/2006 6:19:20 AM PDT by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: PhiKapMom
No one said that it was not a neat place or that they would not visit. People like myself who do restoration everyday just wondered where the cost came in!
23 posted on 04/12/2006 6:19:39 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: wagglebee
I know what you mean. We do work like this everyday.

I also spend a lot of time doing period research so that my work is accurate.
24 posted on 04/12/2006 6:23:15 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: mariabush

The 50's were right in the middle of the transition from hardwood floors to carpeting. The Bushes were fairly wealthy, so it very possible that they had carpet put down over the hardwood. However, standard oak flooring that would have been used in that period can be installed today for $8 to $10 per foot depending on the part of the country you live in.

Homes from this period have almost none of the elaborate crowns or other moldings that were typical earlier in the century. Post WWII were generally well-build, but they were built to be affordable for the middle class and that is exactly what this house appears to be.


25 posted on 04/12/2006 6:37:38 AM PDT by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee
I am originally from the part of West Texas, and hardwood was the norm. One reason was that the sand blows so much that carpet would be very hard to take care of.
26 posted on 04/12/2006 6:39:45 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: mariabush

The problem with carpet anywhere has always been that it is impossible to keep clean. I remember the shag carpet my mother had installed in our house over hardwood in the 70's. Christmas tree needles never came out of it! I have hardwood or tile in every room of my house now and wouldn't change it for anything.


27 posted on 04/12/2006 6:47:56 AM PDT by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: AmericanMade1776
A $1.8 million restoration has brought the one-story, three-bedroom house back to the way it looked in the early 1950s

Hard construction was cheap. It was those collector comic books that drove the price up.


28 posted on 04/12/2006 6:49:17 AM PDT by RGSpincich
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To: wagglebee
The only place that we have carpet is one bedroom and my sewing/workroom. Old cold feet require it.
29 posted on 04/12/2006 6:59:22 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: mariabush

I have rugs down everywhere, you can at least shake them out.


30 posted on 04/12/2006 7:04:37 AM PDT by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee

It's 1800 sf.

The cost was not so much the restore (although restoring the knotty pine was darn expensive, as was locating some period items), but the add-ons to make it a viable public space:

ADA compliance (think wide doorways)
Parking
Place for park ranger
Etc.


31 posted on 04/12/2006 9:29:53 AM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Many at FR would respond to Christ "Darn right, I'll cast the first stone!")
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To: wagglebee

"This house would have had vinyl floors"

This house had hard wood floors. The original floors were, in fact, restored, as were the knotty pine walls.


32 posted on 04/12/2006 9:32:23 AM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Many at FR would respond to Christ "Darn right, I'll cast the first stone!")
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To: AmericanMade1776

Not seen in that picture is the 1950's Green General Electric Refrigerator.

It was VERY hard to locate.

Then, Laura's MOM said, "Oh, I have one of those." She was still using it. (Kind of, she's primarily in a rest home, although she maintains her home.)

So, actually, the fridge is LAURA's childhood fridge.


33 posted on 04/12/2006 9:35:48 AM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Many at FR would respond to Christ "Darn right, I'll cast the first stone!")
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To: mariabush

You are correct. They were original hardwood floors and pine walls.

Covered with layer and layers of paint.


34 posted on 04/12/2006 9:36:35 AM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Many at FR would respond to Christ "Darn right, I'll cast the first stone!")
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To: MeanWestTexan
Now, I have removed enough paint in my lifetime to justify charging 1.8 mil just for that job alone.
35 posted on 04/12/2006 9:56:34 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: mariabush

LOL.

I believe is was ADA and parking.

Also, there was a fund set up to maintain the building with the interest.

Have to pay the park ranger, you know. I bet the fund is 500K of it. Bad reporting.


36 posted on 04/12/2006 10:02:44 AM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Many at FR would respond to Christ "Darn right, I'll cast the first stone!")
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To: MeanWestTexan

The picture of the kitchen appears to have a vinyl floor.

I was originally unaware that the $1.8 million included the additional outbuildings, etc. The article did not mention this, my guess is that if it had been the Stainmiester's childhood house, there would have been extensive explanations of why the cost of refurbishing a house that probably was once on wheels cost so much.


37 posted on 04/12/2006 1:04:06 PM PDT by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee

Correct, the kitchen does have vinyl (and the bathroom has those little octagonal tiles).

The remainder is wood.


38 posted on 04/12/2006 2:14:53 PM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Many at FR would respond to Christ "Darn right, I'll cast the first stone!")
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To: MeanWestTexan

I am fairly certain they are actually hexagonal shaped. :-)


39 posted on 04/12/2006 2:46:52 PM PDT by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee

Little stop signs, anyway!


40 posted on 04/12/2006 2:49:51 PM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Many at FR would respond to Christ "Darn right, I'll cast the first stone!")
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