No Place Like Home: Song of Change
/A Restoration of Downtown’s Pink Lady
Story & Photography by Chelsea-Catherine Croom
Sunlight struggled to peek through the towering old oak trees, creating a soft dappled light over the most famous lady of Downtown. She’s lived many lives, and since I’ve known of her, I’ve been most curious and eager to make her acquaintance. She’s intriguing and mysterious. Playful yet strong. She’s the pink lady of Union Avenue – The Captain H.P. Farrar House.
I walked up to the covered front porch on the moss-tinged herringbone brick pathway and was greeted by a mama robin and her chirping babies with their necks bobbing up past the horizon of the nest, waiting to be fed. She made her family’s home in the corner of the porch, and it is pretty poetic. The grounds of the home could easily be overlooked simply due to the personality of the pink Victorian home. But that would be a shame. The landscaping was thoughtful. Strong Southern staples graced the front and side yard. Japanese maple, blooming purple irises, and daylilies scattered the beds - sympathetic to our area and the style of the home.
To be honest, that is only where the thoughtfulness began. I was truly touched by the efforts to the home’s preservation and restoration made by Hal and Angela Crocker.
It would have been easier, not to mention more cost-effective, to renovate and modernize the home, furnish it with the latest trends or durable, commercialized pieces. But, to carefully restore and curate her to what she could have originally been while making it a practical, efficient dwelling place - that’s a tall order. And that’s exactly what he did.
I entered through the side door as I imagine many friends and family had through the centuries she has stood. Immediately I was greeted by even more thoughtful design. The antique furniture curated to fit the space had very clearly been chosen artfully and intentionally.
I was drawn into the kitchen from the beckoning of a blue and white chinoiserie plated wall. As a collector of the pieces myself, I appreciate the choice to hang them artfully above the kitchen fireplace. The space had everything essential for a functional kitchen and left the character intact. The apron sink and beautiful brass fixture were a perfect focal point, and the useful and necessary kitchen appliances were integrated into the space behind cabinetry. Yet another thoughtful design choice.
Cozy chairs littered the home’s gathering spaces, and stately beds were placed in the two bedrooms. The ensuite had been updated, and felt exactly how you’d want it to – new and clean, but it was grounded by the antique vanity and vintage crimson rug.
The home was built in 1847, which to put into perspective, was over a full decade before the start of the Civil War.
I was captivated by the home’s charm and personality, but when I reminded myself of the rich history she possesses, I was overwhelmed.
She is the representation and manifestation of people’s dreams - she was in 1847 for D.C. Bledsoe, and she is in 2023 for Hal Crocker. She has been for all the people and families in between.
I found it hard to stop taking photos of the home. I took in every detail and appreciated the consideration that went into her. I opened the front door to take one last look from the front porch and saw the mama robin again. I startled her and she flew to the nearest tree branch above the porch. She could see me, and I could see her. I then thought about the old oak on which she was perched. How long had it stood next to this home? What had these two weathered friends seen together?
Homes like this one are haunting reminders that we are here but a short while. We are lucky to be a part of her story, lucky to step across the creaking floorboards and soak in the character the years have molded. The faces of her caretakers their stories are woven into the fabric of the home in intangible ways. You feel them the way you feel the breeze of cool wind on the front porch.
You may not know this, but robins like to sing before it rains, noting an impending change in barometric pressure. Not long after the mama bird’s tune hit my ears, drops of rain danced on the brick walkway. The beautiful song of change ringing through this small corner of downtown. Pretty poetic if you ask me.
Built in 1847, the Captain H.P. Farrar House, or the Pink House, has been on the National Registry of Historic Places since 1986. It features a unique blend of Greek Revival and Victorian architectural influences on a working-class home. The exterior of the house boasts Doric posts, twin floor-to-ceiling windows, and a herringbone brick walkway; while its interior includes hand-grained fireplace mantles, hand-hewn sills and rafters, and hand-planed floor joists. As one of the oldest houses in Jackson, it has been carefully restored to keep its original character while adding to its Victorian effect. Mrs. Rose Johnsey purchased the home from Farrer’s daughter in 1981. She diligently restored the house and had the exterior painted its noteworthy “Rose” pink. Hal Crocker bought it in 2020 to restore and use as a guest house and as a showpiece for his neighborhood. He has recently listed it on Airbnb for some lucky overnighters in Downtown Jackson.
