A Note From My Dad

Reprinted here with permission:

Believe it or not, this is the home my father grew up in at Towanda, PA. Built in 1876 by my great-great grandfather William Ronan. I visited here every summer until I was married. My "Uncle" Teddy Whyte and Aunt Mary Barron lived here long after Big Gram (Margaret Ronan) and Little Gram (Bridget Barron, my Dad's mother) passed away.

The house was painted white then, but seems little changed. A scary place .. Especially the root cellar and barn out back .. A barn my Dad raised his rabbits in as a boy.

The house is at the very top of the immensely steep hills above the Town of Towanda.. And you can see the slate slag behind the house as the mountain crested. Big Gram used to drag Don and I up the hill ... with buckets ... to pick blackberries for her jam and wine. We were exhausted by the effort ... which didn't affect her ... dressed in her all-black mourning clothes and lace and black button shoes ... and she was 104 years old!

Don (my father's identical twin) and I would sleep on the upstairs porch of the house .. outdoors.. when we visited.

Weird to see this.. And I sure wouldn't pay this price .. even with the updated kitchen and bathroom!