Historic Homes Two Spokane Houses Will Be Featured On The New Hgtv Show ‘Restore America’

“Restore America” a new television show on HGTV (channel 32 in Spokane, 46 in Coeur d’Alene) starring Bob Villa will feature two historic Spokane homes on Sunday, at 7 and again at 10 p.m. The homes, Littlebrook Farm in North Spokane and the Bartleson House in the Rockwood neighborhood were chosen from more than 50 Spokane homes and neighborhoods submitted by the Spokane Historic Preservation Office for possible inclusion.

Only three other homes from Washington were chosen for the show, one each from Port Townsend, Olympia and Seattle.

For 30 years, Deneice Hastings lived in homes with all the conveniences technology has provided. And although life was grand on the Spokane’s South Side, Hastings dreamed of returning to a more rural lifestyle at her grandfather’s log home alongside the Little Spokane River, at the place he named the Littlebrook Farm. One visit is enough to understand her dream.

Nestled in eight acres flanking the Little Spokane River, the setting for Littlebrook Farm on North Dartford Drive, is serene. The log home haunted Hastings for 30 years after her grandfather, John Little, sold it.

“When he sold it I was 14,” she said. “It was always in the back of my mind growing up. I knew I wanted it back.”

Hastings was persistent. Over the years She contacted the owners, pleading with them to make sure if they ever wanted to sell the home, to contact her. In 1995, she got the call. On July 4, she, her husband Paul and their three sons took possession of the log home.

This two-story, 12-room, 3,650-square-foot cedar log house, built from timber cut near Colville, was erected in 1935. Little based his design on a drawing of the Red Ranger Station in Elk. It was during the Depression that he found carpenter Oliver LaJoie in an unemployment line. He hired LaJoie to enlarge what was then a four-room cabin on the property.

When the hammer and nails were finally put back in the toolbox nine years later, the project was complete, along with a gazebo, a barn and several outbuildings. A portion of the Little Spokane River was dammed to form a pond stocked with trout. At the dock, a canoe is available for paddling to an island in the pond for a Sunday picnic. It’s a resort the Hastings call home.

The Hastings’ home is so impressive, it captured the attention of HGTV. Production crews spent a couple of days at Littlebrook filming and admiring.

“They got about 30 hours of tape,” said Paul Hastings. “They had such a fun time here. I think it was break for them to get away from the Victorian they normally have to film.”

Karen Meissner, segment producer for the western states featured in “Restore America” heard about Littlebrook through Teresa Brum, who works at the Historic Preservation Office in Spokane. Meissner contacted the Hastings about the home and asked for a photograph because she said “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Meissner took one look and thought, “This is perfect.”

“It was the first log construction home I had come across,” Meissner said. “I always look for houses that are unusual and special for the show to grab and maintain viewer interest. That is why we try to avoid cookie-cutter homes on the show. One of the reasons we chose the Littlebrook farm is that it provided a striking contrast to the grandeur of the other houses used in the show.”

Since 1995, the Hastings have used every spare moment working on the home. They were thrilled that it was mostly in its original condition, including the vintage wood stove. There are a few modern conveniences, like a refrigerator and oven, but Hastings tries to keep everything in its historic timeframe. She even refills an old can of Borax with new cleanser.

“This home was always special to me as a little girl,” she said. “It is a part of my heritage and it will always be. Now that we have it, it’s going to stay with our family.”

Tim and Beth Merck are owners of another Spokane home featured on “Restore America.” Located on East Overbluff and built in 1921, the French Normandy-style home was designed by architect Harold Whitehouse, who also designed the St. John’s Cathedral.

“It’s a fun house,” said Beth. “We are known for our Halloween and Christmas traditions.”

The home is topped with a weathervane of an Indian holding a bow and arrow based on George Libby’s motto, “Shoot straight and aim high.”

The house boasts seven chimneys, but only two fireplaces are actually used. It used to worry their young son Jon at Christmas.

“He was concerned which one Santa would go down,” Beth said.

The Mercks have lived in the Overbluff home for 13 years. It was always a favorite of Tim’s: he drove by it when he was a teenager. He and Beth passed by when they were newlyweds out on Sunday drives.

“We just loved the home and were very grateful when we got the chance to get it,” said Beth.