Hoover House Reading Book Reduced
Up was the only direction left to go at 1503 Wilson StreetUp the street at 1503 Wilson, Tommy employed a couple of new techniques to adapt a four-room 1850scabin to the needs of its contemporary owners. First he pulled the cabin out of the brush above Bastrop’sFisherman’s Park, planning a new role for it as a large primary bedroom and sitting area.Next, the Hoovers brought in a 1940s military barracks and attached it to the front of the cabin. Salvagedfrom Bastrop’s WWII-era Camp Swift Army Base, the 1,000-square-foot barracks, constructed of everlastinglong-leaved pine, was envisioned by Tommy to comprise the main living and kitchen areas at thegirth of the house.The assemblage was made complete by building outward, from the front of the barracks, a formal diningroom and generous porch.Up was then the only direction left to go at 1503 Wilson, and there was plenty of space to utilize underthe sturdy barracks roof. So Tommy devised a plan with Raymond and Andrew to cut the roof from itsmooring atop the barracks walls, then move it out of the way while the crew framed a second story withtwo bedrooms and a bath. A crane was hired to lift and set the roof in the front yard.When it was time for the crane to hoist the 40-by-25-foot roof back in place, Hoover tied a rope to oneof its corners and balanced himself on top of the new second story wall plate. From his risky perch, Tommycoaxed the roof into alignment for an exact and gentle landing atop the new wall.“I was scared to death watching him up there,” recalls Judi. But she proudly added that the effort toframe and re-roof the second story was completed in a weekend.Joe Grady Tuck, a local attorney and seventh-generation Bastropian, is now the owner of the artfullyconjoined home. Tuck fondly remembers what his sage uncle, Vernon Tuck, muttered when he hadcontracted with Tommy to purchase the home: “He said, you bought a Hoover home...?”“Why that’s the smartest thing you ever did. That man’s a genius with wood!”This little four room house from the mid 1800’s found itself in the way of the Bastrop’s new libraryparking lot. We moved it around the corner and up the street where it became the primary suite at theback of the house.
The front part of the house was a barrack from Camp Swift, which was relocated,many years ago, to Hwy 95 - just north of the cemetery. We knew the structure couldhold a second story because of the quality of the materials and construction. We wereable to remove the roof in one piece, frame the second story then carefully reset theroof ... all in one weekend!The pine floors in the barracks were covered withtiles for over 80 years. Removing the tile and gluekept Tommy busy for weeks.
- Page 10 and 11: All of the trees and plant were pla
- Page 12 and 13: Paul Goebel’s General StoreFront
- Page 14 and 15: Dave Garcia HouseCollege St Bastrop
- Page 16 and 17: The Infamous “Club 71”On TX Hwy
- Page 18 and 19: Ealry Texas HomeOn Farm St, Bastrop
- Page 20 and 21: “People say he has an artist’s
- Page 23 and 24: We added the “River Room” for t
- Page 27 and 28: This building was the 1860’s Smok
- Page 29 and 30: This building was half of a home on
- Page 31 and 32: This building was originally a “S
- Page 33: This 1905 building was being used a
- Page 36 and 37: This was a one room schoolhouse in
- Page 38 and 39: We are always on the lookout for“
- Page 40 and 41: Saved from the DozerTypical of the
- Page 42 and 43: “It was clear to me now, there wa
- Page 44 and 45: 1316 WilsonBuilt 1857Moved to Bastr
- Page 49: Originally a “Dogtrot”, with an
- Page 52 and 53: We cut large openings in two walls
- Page 56: The 11’7” tall ceilings in the
- Page 64 and 65: 1503 Wilson1860’s House + 1941 Ba
- Page 67 and 68: The 1800’s structure now houses t
- Page 69: Behind this door, under the stairca
- Page 74: The wide pine plank floors from the
- Page 77 and 78: This Victorian jewel had been well
- Page 79: The Cockrill House was loccated in
- Page 83 and 84: We opened the back hall wall to cre
- Page 85 and 86: Typically, homes from the 1800’s
- Page 89 and 90: The attic of the front portion of t
- Page 91 and 92: place as a backdrop for the entry p
- Page 93: Tistisquid magnam comnis everrumqui
- Page 105: Other Projects
- Page 108 and 109: The Hands & HeartsUt ratem facearc
Up was the only direction left to go at 1503 Wilson Street
Up the street at 1503 Wilson, Tommy employed a couple of new techniques to adapt a four-room 1850s
cabin to the needs of its contemporary owners. First he pulled the cabin out of the brush above Bastrop’s
Fisherman’s Park, planning a new role for it as a large primary bedroom and sitting area.
Next, the Hoovers brought in a 1940s military barracks and attached it to the front of the cabin. Salvaged
from Bastrop’s WWII-era Camp Swift Army Base, the 1,000-square-foot barracks, constructed of everlasting
long-leaved pine, was envisioned by Tommy to comprise the main living and kitchen areas at the
girth of the house.
The assemblage was made complete by building outward, from the front of the barracks, a formal dining
room and generous porch.
Up was then the only direction left to go at 1503 Wilson, and there was plenty of space to utilize under
the sturdy barracks roof. So Tommy devised a plan with Raymond and Andrew to cut the roof from its
mooring atop the barracks walls, then move it out of the way while the crew framed a second story with
two bedrooms and a bath. A crane was hired to lift and set the roof in the front yard.
When it was time for the crane to hoist the 40-by-25-foot roof back in place, Hoover tied a rope to one
of its corners and balanced himself on top of the new second story wall plate. From his risky perch, Tommy
coaxed the roof into alignment for an exact and gentle landing atop the new wall.
“I was scared to death watching him up there,” recalls Judi. But she proudly added that the effort to
frame and re-roof the second story was completed in a weekend.
Joe Grady Tuck, a local attorney and seventh-generation Bastropian, is now the owner of the artfully
conjoined home. Tuck fondly remembers what his sage uncle, Vernon Tuck, muttered when he had
contracted with Tommy to purchase the home: “He said, you bought a Hoover home...?”
“Why that’s the smartest thing you ever did. That man’s a genius with wood!”
This little four room house from the mid 1800’s found itself in the way of the Bastrop’s new library
parking lot. We moved it around the corner and up the street where it became the primary suite at the
back of the house.
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