Introducing The River House
Taken in 2011
People ask me “What is the River House you talk about? Where is it?”
(Point of Interest - in Richmond, Virginia, if you say you are going to “the river”, it means you are going to any tributary that flows into the Chesapeake. Even if it’s not technically a river. It’s just what we say.)
We had just gotten back from spending July 4th there, when my laptop crashed………so my posting is a little delayed!
The “river house’ was built in the 1840’s and is located on waterfront property near where Stutt’s Creek opens into the Chesapeake Bay. It’s official name is Fitchett’s Wharf. It is in Moon, VA on the site of an old wharf and shipbuilding yard. The steamboats and ferries that went up and down the bay, stopped here in the 1800’s and early 1900’s. Our house was the shipbuilder’s house. The next door neighbor’s house was the wharf store.
The Front of the House - circa 1938 - you can see the log cabin to the left
Back View of house - circa 1941
Left side of house - circa 1941
Back of house - circa 1940
View from wharf - circa 1907
Original wharf and pier - early 20th century
The “Piankatank” docked at the wharf - circa 1930’s
The Steamer Schedule for the Chesapeake - from the Piankatank River to Baltimore
My parents bought the house in 1979, when I was in college and proceeded to work their magic on the old dilapidated property for years. It was added to, re-landscaped, redecorated and generally brought back to life. They built a pool and pool house, a pump house/garden shed, a kitchen addition and a screen porch addition. I would say it was at its’ prime in 2009 when it was on a historic homes tour. My mom’s gardens were gorgeous, the inside was in good shape and the pool and pier were both in working order.
The Pool House and pool - Taken 2018
Taken in 2009 - shows kitchen addition on back and new screen porch addition
As with many historic properties, especially on the water, the home had seen better days by the time Covid arrived. The pool and pier both needed replacing and most importantly the house foundation needed to be replaced. We were at a crossroads. We had several options to consider and the family decision was to save the house, once again renovate the property and replace the foundation, raising the home up several feet higher. The architectural integrity of the house was crucial to us all.
Mom’s Garden - 2009
The Pump House - between the house and garden - 2009
Garden by garage, looking toward creek - 2009
The front yard with pool and point/pier to the right - 2009
The pool with the bay beyond - 2009
And so began the latest renovation of Fitchett’s Wharf…
We began last year by raising the house up three feet or so, and that was done by Expert House Movers, based in Virginia Beach, VA. They have moved several lighthouses on the East Coast. It was raised ten feet for work to begin on a new foundation. Three months or so later, it was lowered back down on its’ new foundation.
Since then, my brother Miles, and his subcontractors, have been steadily working away on it. We help whenever available - I usually paint and weed, and Chip is the odd jobs guy - installing lights, painting, a little carpentry (very little😜) and taking truckloads to the dump.
Miles has enclosed the old screen porch, added a new mudroom entrance and stoop, added a new half bath, redone the new and original floors, and re-plastered and painted the inside. He is now building a new deck where the old one was, and he is getting ready to open up the kitchen addition into the original dining room. That will have a new layout. He is down there with his wife Christen, on most weekends and they have worked tirelessly to renew the property.
Christen and I have also redecorated two bedrooms, and redone two bathrooms. We have refreshed the hallways upstairs and the upstairs porch. (We had just finished these when the house was raised for the new foundation.) We are working on a third bedroom now.
We have a new pier, next to the footprint of the old wharf, and we are now searching for a pool company that is not 4 years out! :/
Sunset - Taken from new pier - 2022
Needless to say - we have all been working hard on this for the last 18 months, but none harder than Miles and Christen. Miles has been the boss man and we just help out as much as possible.
Our hope is that when we finish this current round of renovations and a new pool is in place, it will be attractive, comfortable and relaxing for years to come.
Stay tuned for Part II where I will show you the lifting of the house, and Part III with our befores and afters to date!
Sunset - Taken 2021