A door with a history...

The 'Man-Child' is a pretty awesome 'Man-Child'...

He spent a full day hanging 2 old, solid wood doors for me. A 5 panel door between the kitchen and back porch / laundry room. 

And a vintage panel door on the master bedroom doorway. 

I had retro type hollow core maple doors before, but I've been going back in time with this old house...

I have fallen in love with the single panel vintage doors like the one on the bedroom door, which matches the ones we hung in the bathroom remodel. But, I didn't have one the right size to fit between the kitchen and back porch, so we hung a 5 panel antique door instead and I held of painting it, because it looked off - off balance with the rest.

I finally gave up worrying about it and just as I was getting ready to primer the old 5 panel, solid wood door and prepare it for paint, I sat down at the computer to google something about primer and popped onto facebook. I follow a few local yardsale facebook pages as well as some local and statewide antique and vintage facebook pages. On one of the local vintage / antique pages there was a posting that said something like, "Antique door with glass - text for pics and info." 

So, I texted for pics and info...

 Oh my heavens... 

So glad I did~!

The door was located less than 10 minutes from us and in fact, when we went to pic it up, it was a gentleman the 'Man-Child' grew up with and knew quite well. They had a lot of catching up to do and I had a few minutes to "Get to know the new, old door~!"

She is gorgeously carved on one side and very, very heavy, but quite small for a door... 

She wouldn't fit to hang her in a newer constructed, conventional house...

But, I don't have a conventional house...

And, just look how low that door handle is positioned on the door. Originally, we brought it home with old, black, porcelain knobs, but I had to give in and let the Man-Child put on old, carved, brass knobs. He said the black ones were ugly and one was cracked pretty severe... Sometimes, a woman has to concede, I suppose, but just sometimes~!

Just look beyond the peeled paint...

Look beyond the worn hardware...

Just for a moment imagine all of the history that has taken place behind this door...

You see, this antique door is the old entryway door to an old telegraph station from a small town close to where I live. 

The telegraph station was moved to another town years ago and became part of a home. Different owners and families added on and added on and added on over the years and now, it looks like a conventional home. 

But, in the basement was hidden a secret ~

<No, not a dead body...> 

This antique door. 

It had been in that basement for years and years and years and while cleaning out, the previous owner decided it needed a new home and amazing enough, I had a doorway that needed this door. Now, it just needs a little sanding, a little fixing, repairing and painting and... 

~Wow ~ 

What a Door~!

-And I love, love, love the ripply glass window-

I think it looks beautiful between my kitchen and back porch. Afterall, this doorway is the old back door to our old house before they added on the back porch addition. That's why this old door fit with little effort. This old house of ours and this old door are from about the same time in history...

I am having a lot of fun building a future in this old house with unique elements from the past. 

And, it helps that the 'Man-Child' is so gifted in the building / constructing and hanging doors department. As well as so patient as to rehang door after door after door, until I find the one I want. You see, I didn't know hanging old doors could be so challenging and I have a great respect for the time it can take now. I'm also really thankful for the old house demo's we done last fall that gave me all the hardware to hang an old door like this~!