19th Century Train Station... Summer Home?

What’s up, friends?

Back in the 1870s, as the Colorado Gold Rush was ablaze, small towns started to pop up along the train tracks:

Although the railway was removed in the 1940s, the vibes of years past are still there to stay.

Located in Pitkin, Colorado, this 1881 home recently sold for nearly $400k. Making up for its antique nature, this property boasts 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a disconnected garage with a whole studio to spare.

Spread across 9.3k acres of land, the use possibilities are endless.

Want a fireplace? Got it. Want wood for said fire? Got that too.

Immediately when you walk in the front door you’re transported to another time. A time of wooden paneling on the walls. A time of cast-iron fireplaces. A time of patterned carpet and flannel upholstery. I do appreciate the subtle nods to the history of the place -like the “Tickets” sign, B&W photos, and model trains on the windowsill. As it is “of a different time,” I do feel an inherent coziness to the space… but I also feel like I’m somewhere I don’t belong. Heck, even the wooden crates look dated!

How much would you bet that there’s dust in a corner that’s older than your grandmother?

In the kitchen, it seems like there are no remnants of anything past 1985. Yet, it looks functional: a kitchen island on wheels, set with a microwave, crock pot, and a (now vintage) radio stereo.

Lighting the quaint dining nook is a tall bay window. The nearly 180-degree view of nature would be so calming as you take in your morning tea (the kind you sip, not the kind you discuss -as I’m not sure if there’s any internet out here).

Remember how I mentioned this home was built in the 1800s… well it’s mainly evident with the context clue of the washing machine’s placement:

Crammed against the bathroom wall, with a smidge of space to wash your hands, is the old-yet-modern washer and dryer. Nearby, I spy a few present-day cleaning products. That gives me hope that this place isn’t too disconnected to the outside world.

Wooden toilet seat. That’s all I’ll say about that.

Going to use more context clues to make assumptions about the 1800s: did they recycle their hand-me-down clothes into this patchwork comforter?

Looking to the other bedrooms, they’re just as eclectic: doily embroidery, metal-frame bunk bed and daybed, and a blanket that resembles a large dish towel.

We now find ourselves outside of the garage… barn… home-type thing? 

Inside the garage, the ground floor has plenty of space for two cars and all the various tools you need to be self-sufficient in the middle-of-nowhere.

Upstairs, there’s an open space that -while uninsulated- is the perfect bare bones for a home studio, office, or extra bedroom.

Despite its out-of-date quirks (or flaws), this town holds a lot of history within each home -that are all characters themselves. 

And while the prospects of living a present-day life there would be shaky, you’ve gotta admit it’s impressive to see how its stood the test of time.

See you next week,

Sarah @Homes.tastrophes