with a steeply pitched raised roof with dormers, and
enlarged the house to be three levels for living, sleeping
and storage. Stucco was put on the outer walls and
plaster on the inside walls and ceilings, which completely
concealed its colonial character.
During the early 1900s, the home was vacant for many
years, until George Mitchell (a plumber and builder)
acquired it through marriage. Mitchell used it as a warehouse for tools and equipment. Around 1949, his friends
encouraged him to restore the home to reflect its history.
Mitchell received national historical status for Van Saun
House, and began to restore the home to its original Dutch
style by adding back a new gambrel roof, exposing fieldstone on the exterior and revealing timber beams inside.
Original style half-doors and hardware were reinstated.
The bathrooms and kitchen were redone in contemporary
art deco style, and a farm-style stove was replaced with a
modern one.
Ownership changed hands a few more times before the
Tiefenbachers purchased the home almost 12 years ago ➤
MAY 2015
WAYNE MAGAZINE
35