In case you missed the recent transition here is a recap! We are living in, and running our massage therapy business out of, our house at the entrance to the Duck Pond neighborhood on University Avenue. We specialize in couples and prenatal massage therapy, and we are OPEN for business!
The Doig House was built in 1882 and the family lived here until the 20s. (The sub neighborhood it is named after them, the Doig Robertson neighborhood.) After that the Zurn family moved in and the property was added to the historic homes list in the 40s. Their daughter sold the property after their deaths in the late seventies to the Marshalls. In 1982 the Marshalls completely remodeled it for their optometry business, preserving the architecture and unique Italianate elements. For the last 40 years they kept it as commercial property, seeing dozens of clients a day with several doctors on premises. They even had a museum upstairs!
When we purchased the home this year it had been on the market for several years. Having a large 20 space parking lot instead of a yard, no kitchen, only one and a half baths, and no closets it may have not been desirable to some families, but for us it was perfect. We have spent the last 4 months refinishing the longleaf heart pine floors downstairs, painting, creating a kitchen, and generally bringing this beautiful home some much needed love.
We are proud to be just the fourth family to own this house in the nearly 140 years it has been in existence. We have learned much and plan on learning more from the Matheson Museum about this property. We plan on having a grand opening party as soon as is appropriate (with local case numbers), and we plan a 140th birthday celebration for the house next year.