| Betsy's House History & Restoration | Tacy's House History & Restoration |
Betsy's House - The childhood home of Maud Hart Lovelace
1988 2008
Maud Palmer Hart was born April 26, 1892, at the Hart home at 214 Center Street in Mankato, MN.She was the second of three daughters born to Thomas Walden and Stella Palmer Hart. In October 1892, the Hart family moved to a new house at 333 Center Street, where they lived until 1906. Thomas Hart owned and operated T.W. Hart Shoe store on Front Street and in 1904 he was elected Blue Earth County Treasurer. In 1906 the Hart family moved from Center Street to a larger house on the corner of Cherry and Fifth Street to be nearer to the courthouse and the high school.
Over the years the Center Street house has had several different owners and many changes were
made to the structure.
The photo of Betsy's house on the right was taken in 1964.
Maud Hart Lovelace describes her house in a letter written in 1975.
In 2001, the Betsy-Tacy Society purchased the house at 333 Center Street in Mankato, known as Betsy's Hill Street house in Deep Valley in the Betsy-Tacy series. If the Society had not purchased Betsy's house, it is very likely the house would have been razed. A professional inspection revealed widespread deterioration and a desperate need for repairs, many of which were immediate such as a crumbling foundation, a spongy roof, and a chimney that could have collapsed at any time. Thus a new roof, foundation work, removal of the chimney and a new furnace were the first order of business.
Vision for the Restoration of Maud Hart Lovelace’s Childhood Home
The goal of the Betsy-Tacy Society is to restore Betsy’s house to period. Our purpose is to restore the house to look as it did when Maud Hart and her family lived there from 1892-1906. This house will be furnished as a museum. When visitors enter the house, we want them to feel like they’ve walked back in time and stepped into the pages of the Betsy-Tacy books.
In order to do this, a restoration planning committee was organized to work directly with Hometime. We’ve gleaned all information and clues to the interior of Betsy’s house from the first four books in the Betsy-Tacy series as well as documented references to the house from letters, etc. written by Maud Hart Lovelace. These notes will help us to be historically accurate in the restoration process.
All restoration work is documented by photographs and a written progress report is kept. Everything is done in stages, stopping to document what is found and continually looking for clues to the original construction of the house. Plans for restoration work may change as clues to the original construction are found.
Betsy's House Restoration featured on PBS Hometime show
In October 2005 the nationally sydicated PBS home improvement television show, Hometime, came to to work and film portions of the restoration to the exterior to Betsy’s House. A television program of this restoration work was broadcast nationally on PBS stations in 2006.
Hometime returned in the fall of 2006 to begin working and filming the interior restoration of Betsy’s House and two more shows were produced and broadcast nationally in 2007. The work revealed many interesting clues as to the original construction of the house. Artifacts were found in the ceiling beneath the attic, included a letter written by Thomas Hart (Maud’s father) to Stella Palmer (Maud’s mother) in 1885, high button shoes, long black stockings, a shirtwaist, valentine, card tally, puzzle pieces, Lincoln Logs, checkers, porcelain doll arm, magazines and newspapers, etc.
In 2008 the Hometime crew returned several times to film a paver project and more interior work. This show was the fifth in the restoration series and was broadcast in 2009. Having the restoration work documented on film and broadcast nationally is extraordinary and the donation of materials Hometime has been able to raise are invaluable to us. Even though thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of labor have been donated to the restoration, there is still much work to do.
Click here for DVD's of the Hometime episodes available from the Betsy-Tacy Gift Shop.
Donations are critical to the Society. No amount is too large or too small. The BTS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Click here to make a donation to the restoration fund.
Again we thank the many of you who have given so generously of your time and dollars.
Follow the restoration progress:
2006 Restoration photos
2007 Restoration photos
Maud Hart Lovelace Historic Marker
Making the Betsy-Tacy House Signs
2009 Restoration photos
More photos coming soon!
