The Heirloom Homes and Landmark Sites Program is a joint effort of the City of Stillwater and the Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) to honor property owners who maintain the historical character of their building or site. The goals of the program are to:

• Acknowledge property owners who have voluntarily preserved or restored their historic home, building, or site.
• Showcase historic homes on Stillwater’s Heirloom Homes and Landmark Sites Program website.
• Educate the general public about historic properties in Stillwater.
• Help property owners learn how to preserve their historic homes by providing technical assistance that shows homeowners how to maintain the historical character of their homes while also updating them to meet the demands of the twenty-first century.
• Preserve Stillwater’s historic neighborhoods to ensure that the community maintains its identity and appeal as a historic river city and tourist destination.

So far only a few homes are featured on the website. Each one displays a photo, the year built, architect and builder (if known), map and history of the property. If you own a historic home and want to be featured, you can apply to be part of the Heirloom Homes Program. Your house must be located in the older part of Stillwater, have good historical integrity and represent one of the various architectural styles of the nineteenth century or the first half of the twentieth century. There is no cost, participation in the program is voluntary and you can withdraw at any time.

Visit the Heirloom Homes & Landmark Sites Program website

Download the Heirloom Homes Program Brochure

See the handy Guide to Rehabilitating Historic Homes in Stillwater

Two words: real estate. Actress Jessica Lange said:

“When we first moved to Stillwater, it still felt like a real place. It had a downtown with a hardware store, a furniture store, a clothing store,” she said in an interview Sunday with the New York Daily News to promote her newest film, “Bonneville,” which opens Friday.

“Now it’s all gift shops and these terrible condominiums,” she added. “It was a little town with a great deal of character. Everything gets yuppified, I guess.”

This hatred may be because the new condo developments stole the limelight from her mansion. Lang had it listed on the MLS for over 3 years and reduced the price by $1,350,000, which is a 59% decrease! And I was a little upset when our previous home only sold for 96% of the original listing price.

Music lovers will once again enjoy the line-up at the 2008 Lumberjack Days Festival, which this year includes many local favorites. On July 23rd, Corbin Bleu will perform. Martin Zellar and Uncle Chunk will play July 24th, Soul Asylum and the BoDeans on July 25th, and Grammy Award winning artist Boz Scaggs will headline the July 26th show.

A park pass is required for all shows except Martin Zellar and Uncle Chunk. You can purchase a park pass from the Lumberjack Days website.

HUD recently announced new FHA mortgage limits created by the Fed’s economic stimulus plan. The Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area limits were raised from $271,050 to $365,000. This makes FHA programs one of the best options for many buyers who don’t meet the new down payment or qualifying rations required with conventional financing.

A search of homes in Stillwater reveals that over 50 more homes now qualify for FHA financing.