by Joette Kunse
Contributor to the Clarkston News
Preservation Clarkston is celebrating the completion of the restoration of the historic Bailey House on Sashabaw Road this week on Dec. 17 and 18. The project began years ago with the home being set for demolition and today, it is restored and will become the home of a family with Clarkston ties.
The Bailey family were one of the earliest settlers in Independence Township purchasing their land from the government in 1835. The matriarch of the family, Malinda Bailey’s relatives were part of the Pilgrims who settled Massachusetts while her husband’s family were colonial leaders and Revolutionary War soldiers.
The Bailey House on Sashabaw Road was the home of their son, William Bailey and was built in about 1878.
The Bailey house was purchased as part of Independence Oaks County Park system and had set vacant for a few years. It was scheduled for demolition by the Oakland County Park’s board. Local resident and current Independence Township Trustee Sam Moraco had looked at the home with the possibility of moving it. The home was too wide for local roads. He also had the salvage contract on the home from the county.
Moraco had written a letter in the Clarkston News about the home and impending demolition just prior to the scheduled demo date. The weekend before the demolition was to take place, he received a call from Jeff Peariso, a Clarkston High School Construction teacher who had read about the demolition and wondered if there was a way the construction students at Clarkston High School could partner with Moraco to save the home. A call was made to Dan Stencil, Independence Township resident and former Director of Oakland County Parks and the home was given a reprieve from the wrecking ball.
Preservation Clarkston was formed as a nonprofit and partnered with Clarkston Community Schools to begin the restoration of the Bailey home.
Students in the construction classes began to demo the inside of the home taking out four chimneys and putting a roof on the structure. Teacher Steve Wycoff supervised students at the home for four years. Students reframed the exterior of the building, as well as the walls and the floors, with balloon framing and brought the home up to current codes. The house was lifted up from the stone foundation and given frost protection. The crawl space on the home was dug out and quick pointing was done on the original foundation by students under the supervision of union masons.
Professional subcontractors completed the HVAC, electrical and plumbing for the home. New siding, sub floors, architectural correct windows and cabinets of the period were installed in the home.
Several people had approached Preservation Clarkston regarding the sale of the home and a young couple with ties to Clarkston are the purchasers of the historic Bailey home. Clarkston Community Schools received a grant to help with the project and a portion of the money from the sale will be returned to Clarkston Community Schools.
The Bailey house will be open for public viewing on Tuesday, December 17 and Wednesday, December 18 from 3 to 7 p.m. for tours. The home is located at 9989 Sashabaw Road, near Independence Oaks Park. The community is invited to see the work of the students and Preservation Clarkston at no cost.