![]() Mills Coleman, Nadine and OT’s son, says he remembers digging out a space under the house for the installation of the home’s first furnace when he was 14. A copy of the book is in the collection at the Columbia Public Library. She also wrote “The Mistress of Ravenwood,” published by the Tribune Publishing Company in 1992, a year before her death. Nadine was a features writer in the early 20th century before journalism was a widely acceptable profession for women. In 1985, Nadine wrote a short book called “The Joy of Gardening,” a photocopy of which can be read by guests. She called it the Little Female Seminary the school bell still resides on property in the backyard. During WWII, Nadine opened a preschool for girls, operating out of the master bedroom. The Colemans also built the third bedroom. Nadine Coleman and her husband, OT, purchased the home from the McHargs in 1941 for $1,500 Nadine is responsible for having lavishly landscaped the home. Later additions would bring the home to its current 1,000-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom configuration with a four-seasons porch off the back and a two-car carport. Records show an addition to the cabin was made in 1935, which added two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. At that time, of course, it had no kitchen or bathroom it was just a small cabin with an enormous fireplace and hearth, which remain in the home today. The best guess is that the two-room log cabin was built in the late 1800s. ![]() Records show McHarg didn’t own the property until 1911, so it’s unlikely he built the original structure, but it seems that he and his wife, Blanche, turned it into the charming cottage we know it as today. It’s true that the original builder is unknown, though several articles have cited Arch McHarg as having built on the property in 1911 after felling the trees on the lot that year. “It’s kind of a mystery who actually built the original cabin, and the cool thing is within this room and that room, the original cabin is still contained within these walls,” Jessie explains, pointing to the living room and one of the front bedrooms. “It’s my dream to find out more about this house,” Jessie says, adding that she hopes people in the community might come forward with photos and tidbits that can help flesh out the home’s story. Nailing down a more concrete history of the house is a goal of Jessie’s. is loosely preserved by a patchwork of old records and extrapolation. These business partners, both Class of 2017 20 under 40 alumni, now rent it out on Airbnb and VRBO under the apt name “Hearth and Hobbit.” A Long and Incomplete History The newest owners - Jessie Yankee, director of the Missouri Women’s Business Center, and JD Calvin, co-owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices - bought the property in August of 2020. West Blvd., at the corner of Ash and West, is one of the most recognizable in town, and now you can stay in it! If you’ve lived in Columbia for any length of time, there’s a good chance you’ve driven by the house known by many names: the Hobbit House, the Hansel and Gretel House, the Gingerbread House, the Fairy Tale House.
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