You’re standing in front of the Marten-Becker House-don’t blink, or you might miss a detail! Built around 1865, this brick beauty is a classic example of Italianate style, complete with an “L”-shaped layout that looks a bit like it could give you directions if you got lost. Imagine yourself just after the Civil War, when top hats were fashionable and Wi-Fi was just a weird dream. The house boasts a cornice so richly decorated, it puts modern crown molding to shame, and a cast iron portico-that’s a fancy word for the front porch-so ornate, its only crime was being too good-looking for its own good.
But wait, the real treat might be the cupola on top, twinkling with colored glass arched windows. Picture sunlight streaming in, painting the interiors in rainbow streaks. And not to be outdone, the two brick outbuildings have stood by loyally, quietly doing their jobs since the 1800s-probably dreaming of the days when horse-drawn carriages rolled by instead of SUVs.
It earned its spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979-so you’re not just looking at a house, but a true local celebrity. If these walls could talk, I bet they’d tell pretty colorful stories!
