The front door knocker at 184 Old Littleton Road in Harvard says “Weldon.” No, this was not the last name of the previous owner, but a play on words, created by none other than Fannie Farmer.
Farmer, the famed cookbook author and instructor, had this home built in 1915. She died in early 1915, before ever getting to live here, but her style lives on, including with that front door knocker.
According to Nancy Cole, the home’s current owner and the listing agent, “Weldon” is a play on words for “well done,” referencing the cooking term and the home’s build. Additional door knockers throughout the home that have been preserved include an elephant, a monkey, and a more traditional one, which was placed on the door to the guest room with a fireplace that was supposed to be Farmer’s personal library.
Farmer’s former home has been completely renovated and is now on the market for $1,649,000. Built in the Dutch Colonial style, it boasts 5,579 square feet of living space with four bedrooms, three full baths, and two half baths, all set on a 7.99-acre lot.
Cole said she preserved everything she could during the renovation after she bought the home for $925,000 in June 2017. She noted that the previous owner had done a few renovations in the 1970s, but much of the house was still original.
“The house was in total disrepair when I purchased it,” she said. “I kept the footprint of the property, but renovated it down to the studs.”
Though Cole removed Farmer’s pantry/elevator from what was the original kitchen, she restored it and then stored in the guest cottage for the new owner.
Inside the main house, you’ll find an updated kitchen and renovated bathrooms, a reconfigured master bedroom with dual closets, along with all new plumbing, wiring, heat, and air-conditioning systems.
“The renovation was very painstaking,” Cole said. “We kept every original feature that was possible, all the millwork and the floors. We wanted to keep it as close to the original as possible.”
