Trisha McAlexander brings old house charm to Homes Tour

Trisha McAlexander has always had a soft spot for older homes and their history, which is why she found herself moving into a 100-year old two-story farmhouse almost five years ago.

“My mom (Maddy Sterrett) lives in the oldest house in town, and I’ve always loved old, old houses. I’ve had so much joy resurrecting this home and giving it what it deserves after all these years,” McAlexander said.

Her efforts to bring the farmhouse “back to life” will be on display during the Dec. 4 Christmas Homes Tour, which includes three decorated homes in the Holton area. 

Built in 1912, the historic farmhouse is located at 11836 Kansas Highway 16, just west of Holton. 

“When I was little, my family was good friends with the people who lived here – Harold and Elnora Beam,” she said. “It was their farm. They went to our church, and they were just the best. It was a fully functioning farm back then.”

McAlexander lived in town on Fourth Street for 20 years when she decided she wanted to downsize after her two children had graduated from high school. 

“I did just what I said I wouldn’t do. I sold the house in town to get out from under the maintenance and yard work and then ended up here. Out of the frying pan and into the fryer,” she said. 

The farmhouse had been vacant for 25 years and needed a lot of work. 

“I could see pass the mess. I just fell in love with it. Not the house so much but the history,” she said.

Several renovations were made to both the interior and exterior of home.  

“I pushed up my sleeves and got to work,” she said.  

For the Christmas Homes Tour, McAlexander will highlight the history of the home and showcase her collection of Christmas decorations. 

“If you have an eye for antiques, you’ll find them in every room,” she said. “Everything that I have on display means a lot to me, which is all that matters.”

Some of the upstairs rooms will feature some of the original wallpaper. 

“There’s no heat, air or plumbing upstairs so we get blankets out in the winter,” she said. “In the summer, there’s always a breeze so we just open our windows. With the reservoir, the air coming off the water is so cool. Sitting out on the porch you need to wear a jacket until about August. It’s just incredible.”

Wreaths, greenery and decorated mantles will also be featured elements during the tour.

“Since I was little, Christmas has meant so much to me. My mom is an amazing decorator, and she’s participated in the homes tour many times and it was always something that I wanted to do.”

For more on this and other stories, log in to your holtonrecorder.net account and select the Nov. 24, 2021 edition under “E-Editions.”