"They did it again, and we are so thankful they did," Laura Ward said of Shannon and Jami Wade's restoration of a two-story home on a secluded street.
The Wades received the June 2016 Historic City of Jefferson's Golden Hammer Award. They also received it in September 2009 for reviving a 1936 Spanish-style stucco home in the 1900 block of West Main Street.
Shannon Wade has been part of the work in renovating three other local homes that received the Golden Hammer Award.
It's no wonder, then, their 16-month project at 1121 Lee St. was recognized, too.
The Wades had not intended to live in the Lee Street home but only to flip it. As work went along, they discovered they enjoyed its comfortable feel and larger rooms for entertaining, Jami Wade said.
She also grew up on a similar, sleepy street nearby.
"I love this street," she said.
Shannon Wade did all of the improvements to the house, which was almost the equivalent of building a new house, save the brick exterior and the interior hardwood floors, Jami Wade said.
They kept the wood trim, and Shannon cut crown molding throughout the main floor. They also repaired the plaster walls, rather than replacing with modern drywall.
"There's a sturdiness about it; we wanted to keep the integrity of the house," Jami Wade said.
The Wades converted the first-floor master bedroom into a kitchen, making the closet a nice-sized pantry. The tiny, original kitchen became a laundry room. They also added many windows.
The basement was sealed and dried and now serves as family room. The coal chute is now an additional closet with a pocket door made from the original front door.
The view from the second-floor windows now looks at a faux grass roof instead of the traditional roof cover. The Wades also added a back deck and a garage.
Originally with the address of 1221 in Virginia Place Subdivision, the home in the Scruggs and Guhleman Re-Subdivision became 1121 Lee St. in 1967, according to Deborah Goldammer.
She interpreted the home was built by Charles and Inez Lee before 1928 and purchased by George and Helen Lord. A World War I veteran, he was an inspector and civil engineer with the state highway department.
The home passed to Carr and Mae Bartlett in the 1930s then to Stanley and Marian Peterson, who was manager of a credit association.
By 1943, James and Eva Mae Saylor owned it briefly then sold to Norvin and Mattie Tamm.
The Tamms lived there from 1945-69. He was the personnel director for the state highway commission.
They sold to neighbors John and Kathy Jordon who rented the home a few years, then sold in 1974 to Andrew and Christine Rothschild. The home passed to Max and Charlotte Joyce who lived there nine years.
The Joyces sold in 1985 to widow Rosemary Rieke, who lived there through 2006. It fell into foreclosure until the bank sold to the Wades in September 2014.
The Wades credit the River City Habitat for Humanity Restore and MidCity Lumber with helping them maintain a budget.
After their work on the West Main house, several neighbors told the Wades they were inspired to make improvements on their own properties. Jami Wade said it would be nice if they could make that kind of impact on their new neighbors, as well.
"We're extremely fond of the Historic City of Jefferson," Wade said. "We put our money where our mouth is and want to be part of that mission."
As selection committee chairman, Ward said she lauded the Wades' work, especially considering the "incredibly horrible condition" of the abandoned home.
"What is even more thrilling is that they made it their personal home," Ward continued. "That's an act of courage and a huge commitment, but they understand that it can take one act of courage to make a difference in a neighborhood."