When I saw the listing for my house, it stated that she was named Maybelle. The current owners had even hung a sign above the hayloft door on the carriage house.
After conversations with neighbors and former residents — including the daughter of the man who came up with the name Maybelle — I found out that the carriage house was named Maybelle, not the house.
And while I don't know for sure, it seems likely that the name Maybelle was derived from the name Mabie, the surname of various family members that lived here from 1898 until the 1990s. But those family members didn't name the house, it was done only about 20 years ago.
Does it really matter? Not necessarily, but to me it does, and for a few reasons:
- I want to be true to the house's history
- Some houses seem to want a name and this is one of them
- And, finally, Maybelle just doesn't fit this house
It's a pretty name and it's a bit delicate. And this house is pretty, with certain delicate features, but she is also elegantly strong and full of possibilities.
I hadn't considered changing the name seriously until I found out that it was relatively new. I wanted to pick a time to transition from Maybelle to either nothing at all or something that fits.
And when it was obvious that the house and carriage house would need to be painted, I thought it would be a good time. When it turned out the house needed a new roof too, well it was clear that the time had really come.
So what is she being named? That's still being ironed out, but it will be something that jibes with the house, its surroundings, and its history.
Happy fixing, Deb :-)
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