Old stone homes dating as far back as the 1700s, like a Siren’s call to sailors at sea luring them to their death, is a tantalizing lure for buyers interested in homes with history only to get buried in restoration expenses, maintenance work and updates.

Tim Miller, T. Miller Masonry, Topton, believes in practical solutions to restoring these homes and preserving their essence.

On a ride through the hills of Longswamp, Miller pointed out various farms with old stone homes he had worked on. Being a bit of a history buff, Miller enjoys working on the older homes and tries to learn about the era they were built in and about the people who lived there. Sometimes these sites have a history filled with intrigue. One such site, Hawk Ridge Farm, was established in the 1700s and has an ambience that the owner’s children, now grown, described as feeling like they weren’t alone in the original section of the home, but the allure of Hawk Ridge Farm wasn’t just in its interior, but in the land surrounding it as well.