Saturday, March 17, 2012

A Visit To A Painted House

a painted house, lepanto, arkansas

Have any of you seen the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie "A Painted House?" 
The original movie set farmhouse is located in Lepanto, Arkansas.
Author of "A Painted House" novel, John Grisham, grew up just down the road from Lepanto at Black Oak. The story stemmed from his memories of growing up on a cotton farm.
And, both places are "just down the road" from us! 
Well.....maybe 20-30 minutes away.

We've visited the house several times 
but found ourselves on a road headed that way today.
Thought we'd take another look at it.

As we passed the Barber Shop in Tyronza,
 I "suggested" we stop and get John a haircut--
my John--not John Grisham.

He sure didn't like the idea, at first. . .


He does like to hang on to his long hair. . .

We were soon back on the road. . .



"A Painted House" is set in the 1950s, 
but the house looks much as farmhouses did in the 1920s-40s.

Things didn't change very fast in the Delta.

Photo by Thomas R. Machnitzki

We plan to use ideas from this kitchen in one of our shotgun houses.

Photo by Thomas R. Machnitzki

We bought a wood burning  cookstove like this one just recently. 
It will be part of Cowboy's shotgun house kitchen. 
I can't wait to try my hand at cooking on it!


Poor John. 
Still pouting over that inch of hair the barber cut. . .






Looks like John's vintage overalls could have come off this line!


Yep. It's an outhouse.
Last stop before heading home. . .

If you'd like to read more about the movie and see some still shots: 

If you'd like to read a PDF copy of the novel: 

For more on John Grisham:

We plan to dress up in vintage clothing 
and return one day soon for a photo shoot. 

Won't that be fun?

(Note: A few of the photos were taken on previous visits.)

Linking up with:
Rural Thursday Blog Hop 

12 comments:

Old Time Cindy said...

Love the look of old farmhouses. Simplicity at its finest!

Marie said...

A Painted House is one of my favorite movies. Thank you for sharing the set with us. I hope to visit it one day.

Kimberly said...

I have a fridge like that on my porch. :)

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Cute place! I have not seen the movie, but I really enjoyed the book.

MarmePurl said...

What a fun tour....many thanks. And that John of your sure is a good photo prop!

Amy Burzese said...

I love this post. Thanks for sharing it. I just found you through Rural Thursday.

Tanya Breese said...

oh i enjoyed my visit at this painted house. i must put this on my list to read! oh poor john but i am lol'ing over his pouting! you have a great blog, i love the same things you do!

Pat said...

It's a lovely old farmhouse. I did read that book.

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

I've never read this book but I love the photos. For all the granite counters and sub zero appliances our modern homes have, this simple little farm house kitchen is one of the prettiest kitchens I've seen.

Nancy said...

Loving this post! We live in an old farmhouse and my dream is to have it furnished like this!

Poor John! You are a strict taskmaster. Lol.

Thank you so much for sharing at Rural Thursdays this week. xoxo

Unknown said...

Hello, I really enjoyed my time reading your blog and looking at your photo makes me fell great. I love your painted house and hope to have that kind of property someday. Thank you.

Susan MP from Mammaw Melton's Heirloom Gardens said...

I really enjoyed this post. I grew up not far from there and also attended school with the Grisham kids in Southaven, MS (my family moved from that part of AR about two years before they did). I have returned to the midsouth, after most of my adult life in northern California, and we have an old farmhouse that is two story (west TN where my dad was born). We have been renovating for a few years, took a break and I finally got my husband (pony tail still intact but...) to take out some of the stuff we though was dry wall but turned out to be five layers of wallpaper dating back to the 1930s plus 1960s panelling. Now, we have horizontal and original beadboard over 120 years old. The floors need updating with either paint on some or polyurethane. It is lots of work but we are loving it and finding out more about the heritage of our old house. Thank you for sharing some great pictures that remind me of part of my childhood spent in eastern AR. And, I did enjoy the movie and book since I can relate to it in so many ways. I am really glad that others appreciate something I hold dear from my own life's experiences. Thank you!!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...