Letter from George Warner regarding the 1940's House configuration.
George Warner’s family rented the home during World War II and shared his memories of his time here in Prescott as a child.
John,
First, let me thank you again for your generous hospitality when you were kind enough on October 6th to show me through my boyhood home of 1941-1943. My intent in ringing the door bell was merely to ask if the owner minded my taking some pictures of the exterior. To have a full tour through the home, I didn't expect even existed these sixty years later and it brought back a lot of memories, some not so pleasant, but priceless just the same.
My mother, Georgia Warner died while we lived in that home in 1943. My father was a mining engineer, Joseph Lowery Warner. The house was rented but neither I nor my brother can remember the landlord's name. Upon my return from this trip earlier this month I talked at length with my older brother Joe, by phone about the questions you had and some of the things I wanted to confirm when you and I and my friend, Fred Blakeman visited during the walkthrough. The following amplifies some of our discussions that day. If there are some things I forgot, please let me know and I will respond gladly.
Joe confirmed my recollection that the present sink location in the bathroom was apparently a later addition. Before, it was a door to the outside so there were, in fact, two entrances to the bathroom. The door to a bedroom, now your office, I believe, and the outside door. For a short time my folks sublet that bedroom to an ill mining acquaintance of my father. The roomer died in that room. His name was Hill. (Nothing out of the ordinary about his death as I recall, probably not the reported apparition you alluded to). While he occupied that room, the family had to go out the kitchen door onto the back porch (then on the southeast corner of the house) and exit the north side of the porch and cross a short open space to the bathroom door on the south side of the bathroom.
The attic is a mystery to both my brother and me. Neither of us recalls its existence, and we were pretty curious boys. We remember, for example, playing (unknown to their parents) in the attic of the neighboring home to the north, but not our own attic. We both concluded that our attic was not used and certainly had no access known to us. In 1986 we visited the site briefly and recalled a stairway in the back, indicating possibly an apartment or room addition, including the attic, had been added after we left the house.
The "basement" was very familiar to my brother. He was positive the entrance was the same as now, below the front porch on the south, but the sides of the area beneath the porch were all lattice work, not solid wood. And eh said the floor was earthen, no concrete. We had a collie dog who had a litter of pups often, and that is where she was kept. My mother didn't like dogs in the house, according to Joe. In the intervening years, apparently the area was converted to the basement with the addition of concrete floor and possible additional excavation, but this is conjecture.
Joe also confirmed that a picket fence surrounded the house on three sides at the sidewalk on the south and west, and between the house and the neighbors to the north. At the rear property line he recalled a solid wood fence. As we can best remember, the house was painted a cream or light yellow with green trim. Neither he nor I can recall anything resembling brick work, chimney, or the like on the east wall of your office.
The small bay window room on the south was used as a sewing room, for ironing clothes, and a play room for us. I remember distinctly, on the north side of the room were built in shelves below and cabinets above, used for general storage including our toys, which weren't many in those days owing to the depression and war shortages. That room was also the location of the radio. My brother remembered the announcement of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in that room. There were air raid drills and city-wide blackouts during the war. I remember all the shades pulled, all the lights off except the small dimly lit radio dial tuned to KYCA, the local station at that time. As the blackout progressed, announcements were made concerning lights not yet turned off on certain streets. I also recall a blackout, timed for effect I'd guess, with the air raid wardens interrupting a ranting speech by Adolph Hitler. Very dramatic. We had air raid drills at Washington Grade School where we ran to a perimeter wall on the eat side of the playground for cover. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, Japanese subs were sighted off the southern California coast. There was much concern, even in Prescott, about an invasion.
The kitchen layout as we remember it, had the stove on the south wall and a pantry area where baking and part of the meals were prepared. The pantry was located on the east and west side of the kitchen area adjacent to the dining room. The dining room had the single "central heating" stove. I have a sense that it was oil fired, but it could have been a coal/wood burner. In those days, we had some pretty severe winters---lots of snow (great sledding on Prescott's hilly streets) and cold snaps. Pleasant Street was a favorite. Most surprising is the pocket doors that I remembers so distinctly. There are the same. Glad you kept them.
The living room , now your conference room is just as I remembered it with the exception of the added north doors. Then it was open to the front door entranceway, as we recall.
The doors to the north of the entry way now, are much as we remember. Those doors led into a bedroom where one day, as I was recovering from the mumps, my entire second grade class and teacher shoed up outside with get well cards.
I want to compliment you on your diligent and careful restoration of 147 South Marina.
Our boyhood home has fallen into good hands.
Best regards,
George L. Warner
Springfield, Virginia
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