Local family welcomes Ronan landmark home
Berl Tiskus
Jimmy Hendrickson, Cindy Standbrook and Hallie Hendrickson enjoy the porch on their new home.
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Carting the home form it’s original site involved removing more than just the house structure.
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Berl Tiskus
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RONAN — It’s a picture of a white farmhouse with a porch, brick chimneys and a tree in the background. Obviously it’s in the country, and a quilt airs on the porch rail.
Cindy Standbrook has had this painting for years, telling herself, “That’s gonna be my house some day.”
Jimmy Hendrickson, Cindy’s boyfriend, said he’s looked at the painting for years.
Tucked into the corner of the frame is a green envelope, a birthday card from her son when he was small. There’s a picture of a house drawn on the envelope and it says “Mom, I hope you get your dream house.”
“I’ve always lived in a trailer,” Cindy said.
Then the dream of a white farmhouse came true, just like a movie script. Cindy saw a classified ad in the Valley Journal, advertising the George White house for free, but it had to be moved. She was interested but knew Jimmy would say it would be too hard to move.
A couple of weeks later a column came out in the Valley Journal, titled, “Save this House,” describing the 1915 house. Accompanying the story was a picture that looked just like her dream house. Cindy started making calls immediately and talked Jimmy into the deal. Her sons were behind her all the way, she said, telling her she could do it.
Cindy just kept repeating, “If it’s meant to be, it will happen.”
Sjaan Vincent, chair of the Lake County Fair Board, and Cynthie Preston, fair board member, had a special feeling for the house, and the entire fair board worked for months to find it a home. Finally they arrived at one couple who could put it all together.
“There were a lots of tears involved,” Cindy and Jimmy said, as well as faith that God would help out.
“It was a delight,” Vincent said. “I think it’s a first home for this couple, and they’re so excited.”
With the help and efforts of their bankers, Jamie Buhr and Moriah Lundeen of Valley Bank, Cindy and Jimmy received financing.
“It’s nice to see that wonderful old house repurposed,” Vincent said.
“We’re just happy for the White family, happy for the people who got it and happy for us because we didn’t have to take it down,” Vincent said.
Then came the moving part, a huge undertaking. One of Cindy’s sons is a carpenter and happened to be working on a house moved by Kinniburgh Structural Moving in Kalispell and recommended Steve Kinniburgh and the company.
“It’s the ultimate recycling,” Steve said, gesturing to the white house, looking perfectly at home in its new location.
After two false starts on April 15 and April 22 due to snow, sportsmen at a local tavern had a pool on when the house would begin its journey.
The White house finally rolled on April 29, thanks to Kinniburgh and his crew, the graciousness of Andy Holmlund, Superintendent of Ronan Schools, and the hard work of Mission Valley Power.
Cindy cried all the way into Ronan the day of the move, she said, just grateful it was happening.
The house, guided by Steve and crew, ponderously lumbered its way through the K. William Harvey Elementary School parking lot and then to its new home on Little Marten Road on April 29, with the wind howling.
Jimmy works in construction and pours concrete, so he did the work on the foundation. Steve, his son Nick, Yari Shvets and Alex Krupin were sliding huge beams under the porches to stabilize them on May 2. Then their part of the move was complete. Now the electricians, plumbers, and glass guys can do their work.
People have been driving by to see the house’s new location. Cindy said everyone has his or her own idea about what she should do. They’ll say, “Oh, I’d pull those cabinets out,” or “I’d knock out a wall here.”
Cindy and Jimmy love the floor plan and the wood floors. Cindy doesn’t want to replace the painted cabinets because they suit the house, but she may use a heat gun to strip the paint and see what sort of wood she uncovers. If it’s nothing she likes, she’ll repaint.
Hallie, Jimmy’s daughter, is excited about the new house, too, with an upstairs bedroom for her, but the part she likes best is the balcony.
For now, the old house is home with a new family, looking again at the Mission Mountains, this time through its front porch. The back porch view is of trees, fields dotted with cows and horses, and the family vegetable garden.
