Coming Home to Catonsville

Last week I visited my first Catonsville home, spending a few moments parked in front reflecting on when it was mine.  Simply seeing it brought back a flood of wonderful memories of the years my husband and I lived there.

In 1990, George and I were about to marry and blend our two families: four children and two Lhasa-Poos. We were searching for a cozy home with a large yard for kids, dogs, gardens, and family parties. Real estate listings in hand, we pulled up in front of 2 South Beechwood, and we both gasped.

All we ever wanted sat before us: a pale yellow 1920s American Foursquare, accented by forsythia and azaleas, set off by mature plantings and trees. Her roomy front porch featured a wide swing, with sturdy half walls generous enough for sitting on a sunny afternoon. We peeked around the back to see a deep backyard resting under a canopy of huge trees.

Our walk-through made us love the house even more. Although her style was more ‘60s than ‘90s, we were charmed.  Inside, a pair of sturdy columns welcomed us and oak floors creaked gently under our feet. Thick molding surrounded her windows and doors and accented her floors.  A generous wooden stairway led to four small bedrooms tucked upstairs.

We knew our greatest challenge would be making it past the many others who wanted her as well. From our real estate agent, we learned the owners were not the kind apt to sell to the highest bidder; what they really wanted were good stewards for their home. For Norbert and Virginia Nitsch, the house held great sentimental value. This was the place where they brought their newborns home, where they raised their children to adulthood, where they lived to their older years.  

When we met, the Nitschs talked about all they had experienced in their home, and showed her off with loving pride. George and I talked about all the experiences we hoped to have with our family in their home, if we were to be that fortunate. Luck was with us—the Nitschs picked us to be the next caretakers of 2 South Beechwood.

Over the  years, we lovingly restored our home. We  pulled up linoleum flooring to discover oak floors with walnut inlay and pulled off layers of paint and wallpaper to reveal silky plaster walls.  Porches were rebuilt, the kitchen was renovated, and the gardens were tamed. As a result, she displayed both a beautiful patina earned over her 80-plus years and a certain panache from the contemporary upgrades. 

Our children enjoyed her graceful old style, and her yard and porches hosted many friend and family celebrations. We had a front row seat for the July 4th parade, and it was a short stroll to the library and dinner in town. It was small town living at its best.

During the winter cold, we’d enjoy the soothing sounds and warmth emanating from the radiators and a real wood fireplace.  During the summer heat, the tall trees sheltered the house from the blistering temperatures, and our back porch was transformed into an outdoor café.  

But owning an old house requires constant attention and work, sadly so did our careers at that time. George and I made the difficult decision to move to our second Catonsville home, which was a mere eight years young. Like the Nitschs before us, we passed our beloved house to a young couple, as eager as we had been to have her. With that, we joined the continuum of couples who love and improve Catonsville's historic homes, then pass them to the next generation to do the same.