2235 East Street

2235 East Street

Tucked away in a pocket of Lawrence that most “townies” don’t even know about, the marvelous home known as Roanoke has been undergoing a careful and thoughtful update by new owners Andrew Sexton and Julia Ireland. LPA has noticed exterior painting work being done there, as well as some Facebook posts by the owners, who purchased the property in December 2020. But for the most part, East (and West) Drive, nestled between Vermont and Tennessee and just north of 23rd Street, isn’t an area that many vehicles or pedestrians pass by.

This Queen Anne Cottage, built in 1894 by Alexander Shaw & Son, served as the primary home of Martha Gillette Babcock, widow of Carmi Babcock, Lawrence’s first Postmaster General and second mayor. A real estate investor, Babcock had purchased a large tract of land south of 14th Street, which became known as Babcock’s Addition as early as 1858. He and Martha married in 1866, and this home was built to replace a prior house that was destroyed by fire. The only structures in the immediate vicinity older than this home are the two stone structures just to its west—a barn/carriage house and a workers’ house—that remain from the previous house and now sit on the property of 2239 West Drive.

THIS HISTORIC BARN/CARRIAGE HOUSE AND WORKERS' HOUSE AT 2239 WEST DRIVE STILL REMAIN FROM CARMI BABCOCK'S FIRST HOUSE THAT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE AND ARE THE OLDEST REMAINING STRUCTURES IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.

Andrew and Julia have worked hard to inform their design updates with historical research, including consultations with archivists at the Watkins Museum of History and communications with previous owners, including one family—three owners prior—who lived here for 30 years. They even took time to learn about historically accurate color palettes for their home before tackling the seven-color paint job.

Plumbing and electrical updates were necessary, along with repairing, sanding and refinishing the main staircase and refurbishing the original hardwood floors throughout. Many hours were spent repairing the original windows—including original weights and cords—so they all open easily again. Outdated wallpaper is in process of being removed, and plaster walls repaired and painted.

Landscaping improvements have included removal of extraneous railroad ties and concrete while adding grass and butterfly gardens. During this work, Andrew and Julia discovered a 7,500-gallon brick cistern in good condition and are developing plans to use it for landscaping irrigation.

A highlight for Andrew and Julia is the complete remodeling of the kitchen, with a more user-friendly layout, new custom cabinetry, more storage areas, and the addition of a large walk-in pantry.

2235 EAST DRIVE

Curious to learn more about the antique carriage lamps that were being used as porch lights but hadn’t worked in ages, they found out from the family that had lived here for 30 years that the lamps were originally powered by candlelight and were salvaged from that owner’s grandfather’s barn in Marion, Iowa. One of the owners at the time, a KU professor, worked with the shop department at KU to electrify them and the head of the shop department presented them to the homeowners as a housewarming gift. Now the lamps are glowing once again!

Of course, there’s always more work to do, but Andrew and Julia enjoy appreciating the house’s history while respectfully adding their own stories to it. “As caretakers of this historic home,” they say, ”it is important to us to maintain its beauty and integrity while making improvements and needed repairs. The quality of this home is unmatched by today’s standards, and it was truly built to last. There have been generations of families living within these walls during times when our country was very different. This home is more to us than just a place to live. It is a living history that we get to be a part of.”