HALIFAX -- The owners of a historic 150-year-old farm house in Fredericton Junction, N.B. are hoping to preserve some of its unique charm before being torn down.
Zach Vanthournout purchased the home in 2016. Just two years later it was rendered unsafe following the 2018 floods in New Brunswick.
“We are, my partner Emily and I, are the first people not named Alexander to own this place in about 150 years," said Vanthournout.
The 2018 floods devastated the home, leaving a 5 ft. crack in the foundation of the old farm. It has sit unoccupied since, and will now be torn down.
Before that happens, Vanthournout is hosting a salvage sale for the home’s unique pieces of history.
He posted ads online with photos of the old house and people are coming to take piece-by-piece.
“What we really noticed about this place was there was a lot of care and attention that was put into this place to make it look as original as possible,” said Vanthournout.
So far, the farms historic items have intrigued many people, including Bill Jackson who drove from the village of Gagetown, N.B.
“I’m looking for just different stuff, as opposed to buying hollow doors, you know, the big box store type stuff, I thought if they had some solid wood doors with some cool handles and latches, I thought that would be a little more interesting,” said Jackson.
“We just want to see it go to a good place where it’s going to be loved and used,” said Vanthournout.
For Vanthournout, it’s all about preserving the legacy of the Fredericton Junction property.
“That’s kind of cool. Why should that just get crumbled and burned and that’s what I hate to see here. There’s a history here, there’s a family history here. There’s a history of New Brunswick here,” said Vanthournout.
