By Matt de Simone
One of Fincastle’s historic homes is getting a new look.
Caroline and Donald Naysmith, who have spent the last year restoring the town’s “Old Jail,” are now turning their attention to Aspen Hill, better known to local historians as The Peck-Figgatt House. While working on the improvements at the Old Jail, the Naysmiths heard about Aspen Hill and inquired about purchasing the home. Six months later, the historic home is getting a facelift.
A land clearing crew came out to the home last week and began clearing out a lot of the overgrown vegetation that surrounded the home, which was originally built around 1822. The home saw a bit of disrepair over the years, which is now being restored in the Naysmith’s 28th project.
The house saw recent updates in the plumbing and wiring, but will soon see improvements to the landscape, floors, walls, and roof, according to Caroline Naysmith.
“(The house) has beautiful wood floors,” Naysmith said in a recent interview. “The wallpaper in the living room is exquisite. The old Breckinridge piano is still standing and we’re still trying to figure out what to do with that.”
The house is designed in an adaptation of the Italian Villa style, also referred to as the Tuscan style. A Virginia Department of Historic Resources survey record in 2006 noted the house as being in excellent condition. The survey described the house as follows: “The main block of this brick house is a side gable, two-story structure that holds a one story porch with turned posts, decorative brackets, sawn balustrade, and triglyphs in the frieze. A one story porch is also found at the east side, with identical ornamentation. A gable ell lies on the east side, and a one story addition is at the southwest corner. Polygonal bay windows are found at the south and west sides.”
Photos by Matt de Simone
Fincastle Town Manager Melanie McFadyen recently commented about the ongoing improvements to the home, saying that “the changes on that corner are stunning and it’s wonderful to see that lot opened up. I believe the house will be a real treasure for the town once the renovations are complete.”
The Naysmiths purchased most of the antiques in the home and plan on displaying them for a short time them once they finish their work that include some sets of vintage clothing and other western antiquities.
Restoring historic buildings was a part of the Naysmiths’ dream when they began their business. Her work in restoration dates back to 1989 when she purchased the Larimore Plantation House in Washington, Mo., built in 1857. The Naysmiths have also restored Duncraig Manor in Southern Pines, N.C., and won awards for their restoration of the Alexander Homestead in Charlotte.
