Jimmy Smith's House and the Hopefield School

As we do every year, we made a pilgrimage up to Hopefield. First we went to the old Dan Munn farm and see the clearing work that Dad, Mom and Christopher did a few weeks ago. The lane was nicely cleared. It had gotten very overgrown in the past few years.

the apples were delicious! nice and sour

the cellar of the old house

Dad showing us the axle of a wagon found in the dirt by where the old barns were.

Then off to Jimmy Smith's place

No lane anymore so we walked up along the edge of the field where the lane used to be.

Well, the house is still there, barely. It is obvious though that it has gone down a lot since last year. The whole thing has dropped probably a foot or more further into the cellar. I noticed the cellar didn't seem as deep as it was, and realized that's because the house has sunk into it.

a lot more has collapsed into the ground

the front wall of the kitchen is gone

the roof is warped and sagging

This tree is bigger every year, and is still holding the house up. The house is now spreading around it and  think will eventually just "melt" into the ground.

the remnants of the only barn left

the outhouse in the distance

the lane to the woods out back is also gone

James took a window sash as a souvenir

 

Then we went to look at the school. even more dramatic deterioration since last year.

its in there somewhere

The east gable had been standing, but it snapped in 2 and fell over, and is propped up now by a tree. Most of the school is unrecognizable now.

Every year I wonder if the house and the school are still up. I expect to see them flat on the ground, but because each are now in a thicket of trees, it will probably be a steady sinking rather than a quick collapse. They do seem to be disintegrating faster though. Next year we will look again.