This vernacular brick building was likely built circa 1850 by Philip Hansucker, who apprenticed wagonmaking with Philip Sherer of nearby 125 E. Clifford St. The families became intertwined further when Hansucker married Caroline Sherer, Philip Sherer’s niece, on Christmas Day, 1849. By 1860, Philip Hansucker took on Sherer’s wagon and plough making business and brought his brother into the enterprise as a blacksmith. He served as a Winchester city councilman from 1861-1865. Shortly after the Civil War, the Hansucker family moved to Millwood.
As is common with vernacular buildings, the home was expanded throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in architecturally compatible ways by its new owners, particularly through adding dormer windows, additions to the rear of the building, and a Colonial Revival style porch with a half-hipped roof supported by Tuscan wood columns.
Initial work to preserve the building was undertaken circa 1974 by Lawrence and Catherine Bell, including restoring the wide pine flooring and opening fireplaces. The home received a Winchester Historic Building Plaque in 1984. The current owner has been working for two years to use her interior design skills to bring new life to this old home. Her eclectic collection includes found objects and antiques, beautifully repurposed to blend with elements of modern décor. Christmas tree ornaments honor the owner’s favorite southern traditions, and garlands of fresh greenery adorn old pine mantels. Visitors will see the old outbuildings in the back yard, likely used in the wagonmaking business.
