AUGUST - A Forsgren adventure leads us to an Austin surprise!

    While we were in American Fork I had Victor drive me back down to the Harriet Harrington home on 1st E. & 1 South.   I had received an email from Andy Meredith who had found reference to this home on my John Erik Forsgren blog.  He and his wife had purchased it and were happily renovating it to live in.  I was so glad to hear this because the last time we drove by the home it was in a sad state of neglect.   So, I hoped if drove by we might find one of them there and I could see how the project was progressing.

Harriet Frances Noon Smith Forsgren Harrington is the subject here.  Her mother was one of Heber C. Kimball's wives.  When Harriet's husband David Smith passed away in an accident she was subsequently married for a short time to our John Erik Forsgren.  That marriage did not last.  (He was not known for his ability to care for his wives).  After than, under the suggestion of President Brigham Young she was married to Leonard Harrington as a plural wife.  He became mayor of American Fork and served in that capacity for many years.  This is the home he had built for Harriet and her (their) children.

When we arrived I was astounded.  They had really taken it back to the bare bones - as, of course, you need to do!  They had even trimmed the massive trees that surround the home so there is more light and probably more safety for the workers!
    I walked past the No Trespassing signs since I heard voices inside, snapping a few photos along the way.

I was reminded of the demolition of the Peter Forsgren home in Brigham City.  Layers of flooring, layers of wallpaper and paint lay everywhere!  Original floor boards and stove pipes were exposed. 

Original hand-turned railings going up a very steep & only 32 inches wide staircase!  I opted NOT to try to navigate THAT!

An electrician told the voices upstairs that there was a visitor wanting to talk to them.  Andy and Candy Meredith were both there and greeted me warmly.  Both are younger than I expected.  They showed me around a bit.  They will be documenting all this on their own blog which I will eventually link to the Forsgren blog.

The surprise came when we were just chatting.  I remarked about the hanging greens over the front doorway and they told me that they had been married just a month earlier in that doorway.  So, of course, I had to get a photo!  

Candy told me she was from Lehi.  When I commented that my husband's family was from there as well and mentioned they were Austins, she said, "I'm an Austin!  Well - I am a Grace from those lines!"   Couldn't believe the small worldness of it all!   Of course I had to hustle them across the street to meet Victor where they tried to narrow down the connection a little.   The whole brief time spent there just made me smile!!

The home from the back side.  They do not have any renovation restrictions because it no longer qualifies for the Historic Register (because someone changed the roof line significantly in the 1930's) 

They wish to move in October.  If she can stay on top of these workers each day I suspect they will achieve their goal!  This is not the first home they have restored.