KIRKLAND HOUSES

Across the Fence 

From The Hamilton Herald-News



By Arvord Abernethy 

The rap of the hammer and the zing of the saw are not as common a sound as we once heard around here. In about five years time after we built our home here on Barkley Drive, there were over fifty new houses built within a radius of four blocks. At first we thought that we were the attraction, but to our disappointment, we found out otherwise. These high interest rates have played havoc with home construction. 

I had noticed two new homes being constructed in another part of town, so I stopped by one of them the other day to see what was going on. One of the new homes is at the corner of South Loyd and East Standifer, just east of Bill Puckett’s. There I met the owner, the architect, the contractor, the carpenter, the plumber and the electrician all wrapped up in one man, Paul Kirkland. 

Paul is a local boy, but has been away for some time in Civil Service work at Fort Hood. His wife was Charlene Andrews, but I didn’t get to meet her. She is the buyer of supplies for the Gatesville Hospital and commutes between here and there. 

When Paul first retired from service, he built a new home out on the Pottsville road where the Energy road forks off. He sold it recently, so is having to build another home. 

The Kirkland’s new home is a three bedroom and two full bath brick. There is quite a bit of finish work yet to be done, but it is far enough along to see that it is going to be attractive and comfortable. 

As you enter the large living room, you are greeted by an attractive book case that is built into the wall that separates the room and the kitchen. The open dining room ells off the living room and is real convenient to the kitchen. 

Paul was working in the kitchen when I dropped by. He said that he had not done a lot of carpenter work, but his cabinet worked looked mighty professional to me. They are using a lot of paneling but some in the dining area and kitchen has a wallpaper appearance. Charlene should be very proud of her kitchen area. 

This property was once the Curtis Thompson home. Paul plans to redo the Thompson house and use it for rent property. 

The other house under construction is at the corner of South Manning and East Leslie, just across the street east of Roger Cowan. It is being built by Paul’s son, Alan Kirkland. Since the Kirkland’s are doing a lot of the work themselves and it is so urgent that Paul get his house finished, work on Alan’s house is not going so fast. It will be a house very similar in size and design as Paul and Charlene’s home. 

Alan has charge of the ambulance service at our hospital and the Kirkland’s other son, Mike, works for Purity Products Co. 

Shared by Roy Ables

ACROSS THE FENCE