Home and Garden Television (HGTV) is looking for leads in Alexandria for its show “If Walls Could Talk.” Sara Adams of High Noon Entertainment explains:
We are looking for privately owned homes in which, through restoration, the home owners have uncovered items (hidden in the walls, floors, attic, secret passageways, etc) that relate back to an interesting history of the house or significant homeowners. Then, by doing some research, they discover an interesting/unusual story linking the artifacts they found to a significant past homeowner or a significant history of the house itself. We are also looking for homeowners who believe the artifacts they found might be valuable because we will bring in an appraiser to appraise the items!
In the past, “If Walls Could Talk” has featured:
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A Connecticut family moves into a neglected 1800’s Victorian only to find antiques and a mysterious locked cabinet. What they find inside tells the touching story of their home’s original owner. Then, in the attic they discover original paintings and the “If Walls Could Talk” appraiser pays them a visit. The expert reveals their discoveries are worth thousands of dollars.
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A husband and wife turn a turn of the century bank into their dream home. In the process they find the original bank vault full of safety deposit boxes that are still locked!
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A Colorado couple find books, clothing and jewelry in their new home. The clues add up to the story of a best-selling author who lived in the house until she disappeared.
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A New York bachelor buys a hundred year old mansion and makes a chilling discovery in the basement— his home sweet home used to be a funeral home.
Although Alexandria’s stock of historic homes has dwindled during the past forty years, there is still a healthy supply of historic and architecturally significant homes, notably those located in Alexandria’s Historic Garden District and in Mansion Row (or Florence Avenue). And of course, we also have a fair amount of old plantation homes located in unincorporated areas across Central Louisiana.
If you or someone you know has a story to tell and would like to be a part of “If Walls Could Talk,” e-mail Melinda Anderson, Executive Director of the Alexandria Historic District Preservation Commission, at Melinda dot Anderson at cityofalex dot com.
CenLamar 