Vintage Dream Homes

Written by Bakersfield Magazine

Not everyone digs new. There are a good many people who grab their checkbooks when they hear the word “vintage.” We’re not talking about the so-called vintage jeans you pay extra for; it could be furniture or a car. But if it’s a home, that’s where it truly pays to find an original. Believe it or not, there are still places in Bakersfield where the classic look is alive, well, and treasured; trust us, these aren’t reproductions.

In the quaint and historic Oleander area, homes are modest but gorgeous and homeowners seem to share a common trait: they’re romantics.

“There is such a unique quality to this house,” Jaymie Brauer began, standing happily in the kitchen of the two-story Federal-style home she shares with husband Brian Hemphill. “We both appreciate good craftsmanship.”

But this couple came to own their vintage dream home through a series of what Brian explained as the “not its.”

“We looked at a lot of different places. And Jaymie would just say ‘No, no, that’s not it.’”

“Finally we drove by this house and I said, ‘That’s it! I want it!’” Jaymie added. “It looks like a home you’d find in New England. There’s something substantial to it. I knew in my gut that this was the house.”

“I said we at least had to see the inside first,” Brian added, chuckling. But he was pleasantly surprised to find that the house resonated for him, too.

“This house had a connection to more than just a staple gun.”

It had a history; it had a past. The home, built between 1938 and 1941, withstood a tumultuous time in our nation and barely even budged during the 1952 Bakersfield earthquake that brought other buildings to the ground.

“You have to know when you’re buying older, you’re buying into a greater amount of maintenance, but it’s worth it,” Brian mused. “[They’re] a limited good,” he says of the homes in the older Bakersfield neighborhoods.

“You’re not picking one of a handful of designs. Every house is different. They’re almost humble,” Jaymie added. “We realize some people don’t want to do the work that older homes require.”

It’s true, taking care of a home that’s older than your grandmother is often a labor of love for owners, but who wouldn’t love knowing you’re living in a house that was originally built by noted architect (and later, designer of U.S. Embassies abroad) Ernest J. Cump for Dr. Joseph Smith, the founder of San Joaquin Community Hospital. Brian and Jaymie love it.

Of course, the couple discovered a number of treasures; features built into the home that haven’t devalued, even in their antiquated and, let’s face it, kind of romantic design. One of these features was found under the carpet in the dining room: a buzzer that was used to call the maid quarters during formal dinners with the simple touch of a thick-heeled Mary Jane.

“All the formal rooms are downstairs and the bedrooms upstairs, so it’s like the White House,” Brian noted, though that’s not the only special thing about this house: it’s built in a neighborhood that appreciates character.

“There’s such a connection to your neighbors. You have that similar appreciation,” Jaymie said.

And with that appreciation comes work. As with any house built before 1940, some features will stand the test of time and some will need to be updated or repaired. But Concetta Argentino worked hard to make sure she didn’t compromise the integrity of her 1935-built, California adobe home. Not only did she choose wallpaper and colors that would complement the structure of the home, when the roof had to be redone in 2001, she chose old, handmade Spanish tiles that mirrored the ones being removed. It was important for this school teacher and Pumpkin Center native.

However, amidst the earthy quality of the home and the ‘30s-inspired décor, one feature sticks out more than others—and it sticks out in a big way. The outside walls in this home are 18 inches thick while the inside walls come in at 12.

“I guess you can say it’s environmentally friendly,” Concetta explained, a smile on her face. Before the days of going green, the thick adobe walls were notorious for keeping this house cool in the summer and warm in the winter without high energy bills.

But this place is unique for a number of reasons, right down to the floor.

“The flooring is all random wood,” Concetta explained, indicating the different sizes in hardwood the living room floor boasts. And another thing: workmanship is displayed in the wooden pegs holding the floor together. Now that’s something you won’t find in other houses.

What’s abundantly clear on first glance is the amount of storage space this home has. This house was built to be somebody’s functional dream home.

Simply put, “There’s a grounded quality to the house,” said Art Lindsay, Concetta’s husband. “There is something about the house that you can’t find. The construction style—you just can’t buy it anymore.”

For instance, inside a small cubby in the utility room is a boot-polishing stand. These are the types of features that remind us all of a simpler era. “It represents a suspension in time,” Lindsay concluded.

That suspension is just what Jackie Flesher loves about her Monterey Colonial dream home, originally built in 1938 for local pioneer Albert S. Goode and his family.

Goode was the owner of the Peacock Dairy. He was, at one time, listed as the owner of the world’s largest milk run since he supplied the milk that was served by the Sante Fe Railroad between San Francisco and Chicago.

“In the 71 years the house has stood, we’re only the fourth owners,” Jackie said of she and husband Dan.

One instantly notices the double porch—a very southern architectural feature. And five years ago, when Jackie and Dan were looking for their home, they stumbled upon this colonial. They were looking for something more specific than new builders could offer, something with more character. And if there’s anything we know about the Oleander area, it’s that the homes have character.

“The house looks like it came right out of New Orleans,” Jackie explained. And while it isn’t as dated as the antebellum mansions of the south, this home has history of it’s own.

“It’s amazing to think that this house was standing during the depression,” Jackie continued. “I always wonder where [the Goode’s] were sitting when they listened to reports about World War II on the radio.”

But there was some work to put into the house; Jackie knew that going in.

“There’s 3,300 square feet. But the bones of the home are so strong—so I tried to keep in mind the era of the house when we remodeled.”

That meant keeping the architecture untouched and reveling in the finished basement, a front parlor, formal dining room, and a butler’s pantry.

For Jackie, the wow factor was the charm of the home. The lazy hanging trees surrounding the home are over 150 feet high and instantly remind one of drinking iced tea on a sun porch, which Jackie says she does a lot.

“We own a custom home that no one else has, with history and charm, and didn’t have to spend a million dollars.”

These types of homes can be found tucked in the older, quaint neighborhoods of Bakersfield.

The external architecture is easily admired on the corner of B and 20th streets, where the Jameson House sits. Though not currently registered as a historical landmark, the home has a very strong tie to the heart of Bakersfield: it was built for Colonel Thomas Baker’s daughter, Charlotte, in 1910. She married John M. (Jack) Jameson, who owned the New Southern Hotel, on October 15, 1891. The upstairs design was a sign of the times; built with separate master and mistress bedrooms, a nanny’s room, a summer bedroom, and a sitting room. Though internal features have since been changed as the home switched owners, the home remains a link to our past; the original hitching posts were never removed from the property.

Bakersfield can get another wiff of that “suspension in time” without having to go around knocking on the doors of private home owners. The Barlow House, built in 1909 and the current home to the Guild House, is a registered historical landmark. Charles Barlow was a prominent geologist and this two-story American Craftsman-style home located at 1905 18th Street, which he resided in with his family has been kept in pristine condition. Only the finest refurbishments have taken place throughout the years—but all with the goal of maintaining the original magnificence the house offers. The polished mahogany mantelpieces are worth a peek alone. The dining room even boasts a signed Tiffany carnival glass chandelier and wall sconces. This 100-year-old home is a treasure.

There are countless other historical homes in Bakersfield with stories as rich as the soil they’re built on. Thankfully, we’re a city that loves history; a city that puts value in vintage.

Article appeared in our 26-1 Issue - April 2009