This Old House Hour — Season 17
## The Salem House & The Savannah House: Season Overview Prepare to be captivated by two distinct worlds – one steeped in chilling history, the other bathed in Southern charm – as *The Salem House* and *The Savannah House* intertwine for a season of secrets, renovations, and unexpected connections. *The Salem House* plunges us into the atmospheric heart of Massachusetts, where Riley Monroe inherits her grandmother’s enigmatic estate: a sprawling Victorian mansion with a shadowed past and whispers of witchcraft. As she embarks on a meticulous restoration project, Riley uncovers unsettling clues suggesting her family's history is far more complicated – and potentially dangerous – than she ever imagined. The house itself seems to hold its breath, guarding secrets that refuse to stay buried. Meanwhile, in the sun-drenched landscapes of Georgia, we meet Emma Frost, a talented designer tasked with revitalizing a grand Savannah home brimming with faded grandeur. But beneath the layers of peeling paint and antique furnishings lies a complex family dynamic and a legacy of unspoken truths. As Emma navigates the delicate balance between honoring tradition and embracing modern design, she finds herself drawn into the lives of the homeowners and uncovering long-held resentments that threaten to unravel their carefully constructed facade. This season explores themes of heritage, identity, and the enduring power of place, weaving together two compelling narratives where the past refuses to remain silent and every renovation reveals more than just brick and mortar.
The season begins with a journey through Salem, Massachusetts – a visit to the Witch Trials Memorial, the town’s once vibrant waterfront, the stately homes lining Chestnut Street, the House of the Seven Gables, the Peabody-Essex Museum, and…
With their bid of two hundred and five thousand dollars accepted, the Guinees officially became the house's owners. Our host then introduced them to their banker, who detailed the financing arrangements for the purchase. Deborah outlined he…
We journey to the island of Nantucket, where architect Ann Beha’s firm is growing, having recently renovated the historic Atheneum, the town library. She kindly offers assistance in Salem. There, the crew installs aluminum pump jack staging…
The July sun beat down as the crew prepared the children’s bath and the future master bathroom. They found a flooring system that likely couldn't bear the weight of the planned china and tile for both rooms, so they decided to reinforce it …
Tom Silva guides us through the renovated bathrooms, where the floors have been stabilized by reinforcing the original joists with added members. The new bathtubs are maneuvered upstairs, where plumber Charles Cashin is completing the initi…
The team provides insulation to the exterior wall of the children’s bathroom with blown cellulose. Tom Silva demonstrates a paintable bathtub protector designed to be removed once construction is finished. We meet roofer James Shea, who pre…
We found Mike McManus and his painting crew diligently continuing their preparation, dry scraping and hand sanding as required by the Board of Health. The newly established staging area now features safety nets, safeguarding those who pass …
The crew inspected the clapboard siding at the building's rear, noting that repairs would demand considerable labor, while a complete replacement would entail a significant expense in materials. Our host assured them he would address the ma…
We gather to learn of unsettling developments: Several neighbors, displeased with the Historical Commission's approval of the carriageway plan and concerned about potential traffic congestion, exhaust, and alterations to the building's appe…
The host detailed the most recent meeting of the Historical Commission, where the initial approval for the carriageway was overturned, prompting a complete reconsideration of the matter. Discrepancies between the submitted drawings and the …
In front of the Guinea's house, the City of Salem’s tree-planting program has placed a Callery pear, its 'Red Spire' variety. Inside the kitchen, the team inspects the new windows – custom-built with sills and casings to seamlessly match th…
Lighting designer Josh Feinstein demonstrates lighting options for the kitchen and living room as electrician Jeff Perry runs wires for spotlights intended to accentuate the mantelpiece. Kevin Guinee assesses the project's progress and the …
Our host returned with news from the Historical Commission: a decision regarding the carriageway was slated for the following weeks. The Guinees had requested a postponement, citing the late arrival of corrected drawings that necessitated a…
The host observed a wallboard delivery truck unloading as the interior crew worked within the dining room, installing the new panels. Upstairs, the team addressed irregularities in the guest bedroom's dimensions, subtly adjusting the door c…
Kevin Guinee, the homeowner, explains that they have temporarily withdrawn their petition for a carriageway. Their decision stems from concerns about the time required for construction, dwindling financial resources, Deborah's pregnancy, an…
Artist Don McKillop captures the essence of the Guinee house with his portrait, while just across the street, a brick sidewalk takes shape. Inside, Jeff Hosking, the flooring specialist, completes the wide pine planking in the master bedroo…
To restore the house's historic charm, a Federal-style fence replaces the decaying pickets along the front. Tom Silva installs a new mortise lock in the front door, employing an automated tool for precision. In the kitchen, Julia Clay appli…
The final touches. We arrive following a snowstorm to discover the front hall floor finished with a faux marble treatment by decorative painter Julie Clay. In the kitchen, Tom Worthen installs a countertop of "man-made slate"—a dense compos…
*This Old House* journeys to Savannah, Georgia, a city steeped in history and beauty, where Mills and Marianne Fleming have acquired an 1884 Italianate Victorian townhouse on Monterey Square, a locale renowned for its charm. We explore the …
The program opens with the team from Old House, New Home exploring antique shops before proceeding to the construction site on Monterey Square. Following the demolition of the rear porches, the Turner Construction crew, under the direction …
The program begins at Wormsloe Plantation, the weathered remains of a 1736 residence overlooking the Inland Passage and Savannah's oldest surviving colonial structure. Meanwhile, at the project house, a new water main is being installed on …
The opening scene unfolds in a downtown Savannah architectural salvage shop, where the owner makes a visit to the construction site to purchase salvaged plumbing and woodwork. The strip oak flooring is being removed, revealing the original …
The program begins at Fort Pulaski, a Union fort seized by Confederate troops in the early days of the Civil War, only to be overcome by more powerful weaponry, rendering its stone walls vulnerable. On the grounds, new moldings, precisely m…
The program begins at Congregation Mickve Israel, where Rabbi Belzer guides us through the 1876 building, pointing out the congregation’s Torah – the oldest in America, transported with the original members in 1733. At the house, city prese…
The program begins with a visit to the Port of Savannah, a vital hub on the East Coast and a significant source of jobs for the area. There, the new cedar shutters are delivered to the construction site as heat pumps are lifted into place o…
The last few days in Savannah. We speak with a preservation specialist dedicated to saving the Pulaski Monument in Monterey Square, a structure steadily succumbing to the effects of acid rain, sulfur, and bacterial growth. At the residence,…
