160-Year-Old Home Inspires New Owner to Trace Generations of Family Stories

After purchasing a 160-year-old home, the new owner has been inspired to trace generations of family stories from the people who’ve lived there. For Lauren Iraeta and her husband, it’s more than a place to live in; it’s a holder of mysteries waiting to be uncovered. It’s more than a fun project—there's meaning behind it. 

Couple Restores a 160-Year-Old Home

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Lauren, a realtor of 21 years, and her husband spent 10 months restoring the 160-year-old home, which has a water view. They opened up walls, made structural changes, and added two bathrooms.

“It ended up being a huge labor of love,” Lauren says. “The house still looks like an old house but doesn’t have old problems.”

Once renovations concluded, Lauren did some research on the property. It turns out the first owner was a sea captain. From there, Lauren learned about the other consecutive owners and tracked down some living relatives, too. 

The house features a “widow’s walk.” It’s where wives would watch the water, waiting for their husbands to return from the sea. Lauren left the hand-carved names etched into the wood, as they had been for generations. 

Buyer of 160-Year-Old Home Sets Out to Uncover the Stories of Every Family Who Lived There (Exclusive) https://t.co/HnpefQXpJk

— People (@people) July 28, 2026

Historic Details Reveal the Home’s Past

Lauren found a document from the house’s third owner, who wrote 10 pages about his life there in the home and town. She found his children, who had never seen the document. So she gave them a copy. 

The home also has a pet cemetery put there by some previous owners. She found one of the pet’s owners and said that the family plans to visit the property and see the decades-old graves. And bring photos of the pets. 

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“I love that this house has so much history, I could cry thinking about it,” Lauren says. “So many memories, so many children, families, pets. It’s a truly special place.”

Lauren believes that every home carries a piece of someone’s life. 

Old Home Becomes a Living Record of Memories

“Knowing that every house has a story and how emotional it is when you leave a house, for whatever reason it may be, I feel fortunate to be here and feel very connected to the people that lived here before us,” she says. “I’m excited to see what else I uncover.”

It’s amazing that Lauren would put so much effort into her 160-year-old home and those who lived there. No doubt, the people who lived there before are glad for the pieces of history that she’s putting together. 

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“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” - Jeremiah 29:11

h/t: People

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Michaela Gordoni is an avid reader and part-time globe-trotter. With a bachelor's degree in International Relations and experience in the non-profit world, she has a passion for people and reporting. You can check out her portfolio here.