Protecting the history of the Township and special properties in our community has been a passion of Anna Sicalides and Peter Stevens, long term residents of Easttown. Peter lived in old houses growing up, and became a contractor/builder.  Anna is a member of the Historical Commission (HC) in Easttown Township, the group that serves to protect the history of the Township.  Peter and Anna purchased their historic home in 2003 and had a vision of restoring/expanding the house while maintaining its historic exterior appearance and materials.

The house was built between 1800 and 1820 by Joseph Potter, a local farmer. As a Pennsylvania stone farmhouse with many German influences, it was built from stone quarried nearby. 200 years later, the house remained true to its original design and construction, foundation and exterior.

In 2015, Anna and Peter started planning the renovation and expansion. Their goals were to keep the historic character of the house, remedy aging issues and expand the living space. They sought a more contemporary interior, more natural light, and an updated larger kitchen for family gatherings. The challenge was to preserve the exterior appearance of the house so Joseph Potter would recognize his original design today.

They selected an architect, Mary Kaplan and contractor, Steve Ostien, local professionals who had extensive experience in historic home renovations.

Easttown Township technical staff reviewed the preliminary design plans and were extremely helpful in preparing documents, getting approvals, and obtaining zoning variances. Since the house was built prior to any modern ordinances, this was difficult but was a cooperative endeavor between architect, builder, Township, and owners. Once the project got underway, “normal stuff” happened: material shortages, typical construction delays and price escalation of materials and labor during COVID.

The result was a modern interior, expanded footprint, and an exterior consistent with the historical appearance of an 1800’s stone farmhouse. Peter and Anna were happy to commit to a project that made their house comfortable by contemporary standards while preserving the history of Easttown.

If you have an interest in preserving the character of Berwyn Village vernacular Victorian architecture or other neighborhoods, contact the Township and staff will connect you to the Historical Commission.