Stories

We love stories around here.  Back on New Year’s Eve of 1999 we had our last large New Year’s Eve bash here at the house and the entertainment centered around story-telling.  We asked everyone to prepare at least one story and provided prizes for the best story in the following categories:  Most Historical, Most Hysterical, Most Heart-Warming, and best story in which the house was a central character. 

Our friend Chris Gonzalez, in his usual competitive manner, tried to capture all categories with one story.  I laughed so hard I had tears streaming down my face.  The judges were not as impressed, perhaps because they were new to the family circle (thus unbiased judges) and did not fully appreciate Chris’ story and humor.  My parents and I ended up winning the Most Hysterical category with a story of the Vogt and Rose families throughout history.  My mom’s wealthy, east coast Vogt side encountered my father’s Arkansas, dustbowl side at various points in history, most notably when a Vogt (played by my mom of course) shot the leg off of Rankin JHue Rose back in the Civil War.  My dad’s attempt to stand on one leg for a period of time is probably what won the award for us.  It was my opinion at the time that Sander and I should have won the Most Historical award with a description of Sander’s father’s oil patents and their impact on history, but I had apparently lost all credibility for any truthful story after having narrated the Rose-Vogt piece.  Our friends Kent and Gabby won the house and history categories respectively with very interesting (and true) personal stories.  I think Kent may have taken both the heart-warming and house categories with the same story.

And here is my point:  we love all stories.  Absolutely true stories are great.  But artistic licenses are sometimes necessary.  In the case of an historic home, some of your stories may be second-hand stories about a relative from a previous generation.  We would be very excited to hear those as well. 

To get things started, I am going to post some categories as thinking points, but please pass on any stories that you desire.  To generate at least one entry from Chris Gonzalez, I will offer prizes for each of these categories as well:  a 20-pound box of produce from our garden for locals or a decorative herb wreath or swag for story-tellers across the country.  We’ll give this until New Year’s Eve to make any award decisions.

Craziest-thing-you-did-or-saw-in-the-house Stories.  Long before our time here the house was abandoned and kids used it as a playground, jumping off of the balcony onto the great room floor.  We know of this activity because of the hole in the floor, but I have always wondered what other things happened here with no evidence left behind.  Let us know.  Of course, many a crazy thing happened in the Rose era as well.  Double prizes for anyone who knows the story behind painting the quartz fireplace yellow.

House History Stories.  Back in the early 1980s a nephew of J. Howard Williams, the original owner, visited the house and claimed that he helped out on the work site during the building.  He was about 10 years old in 1908 but had a vivid memory of some of the construction details that bore out in our examinations.  Please post history stories if you have them.  Also check out our bounty on some specific bits of house history we are hunting.

Romance Stories.  We do know of couples who met here and of babies who were conceived here.  Our dog Ladybear bore no puppies until we moved here in 1982.  She was 5 years old.  My mom blamed it on the health properties of the hot springs water.  But perhaps it was the recent romance of she and Salt, Chris Cantelmi’s dog.

Previous Occupant Stories.  Let us know something about what your life was like when you lived in this house.

House Memories.  Please share with us any memories you have of coming here and visiting.