Chuck and Diane Oestreich

​

We moved to RI in 1964 from Chicago. I had been working in Chicago at a wonderful job, but decided to stay home and just be a mom for a while. My husband had just started his teaching career and was offered a job at RIHS. After two months here, we decided we liked it and would look for a house, not a ‘starter’ house, but rather one we could live in forever. We spent considerable time with a realtor, looking at everything imaginable, but confining our search to RI. After a memorable weekend of visiting about two dozen homes, we started reading the newspaper and would call the realtor every time we saw an interesting listing. There were some we were very excited about, including one almost adjacent to Blackhawk Park. Although it looked nice on the outside, the inside was a maze of cobbled-together rooms.

 

Of the three houses that could work, all had flaws. One was in Broadway at 1025 21st Street. Unfortunately it had been poorly duplexed and the woodwork was all painted. Bathrooms and kitchens were thoughlessly placed as well. (Note, this house was beautifully restored about 20 years later by another owner). Another possibility was at 2223 24th Street. But it was overmodernized, with cove lighting built into the living room, an enclosed porch - and it was expensive. Another was on 8th Avenue, about 3833. It was covered in asphalt imitation brick and had a large lot that was gently sloped with no flat area. It would have been easy enough to mow but impossible for kids to play on. And while it had two full bathrooms of recent vintage, one had maroon tile and chartreuse fixtures; the other was the opposite.

 

So we went back to reading newspaper ads. One evening in October (the Argus was an afternoon paper then), there was a short, terse, 3-liner. I quickly had it memorized. Gracious nine room family home by owner. $18,000. (phone number). I called and got the address – 816 22nd Street. The owner said we could come over that evening. I deferred and said we’d look at the outside and maybe call later. After all, we’d been disappointed before.

 

The next day, I put one kid, almost 3, in the wagon and with the other, 4 ½, walking (we only had one car) we left downtown where we lived (now Sala, then Olmsted) and walked over to 22nd Street. It was instant love....but still tempered with knowing the interiors didn’t always match up with the exterior. I went home and called and got an invitation to visit the home that night, when we met Dr. Arthur and Eleanor Arnold, the homeowners.

 

They were selling because their last child had left home to go to U of Iowa and because the Augustana Seminary, where Dr. Arnold was employed, was moving to Chicago. They’d decided to establish residency in Iowa for lower tuition, so put their house on the market. When we visited, Ellie Arnold entertained our children at the piano while Dr. Art took us through the house. Still instant love! The wonderful center hall plan, with tall ceilings and oak woodwork was so spacious. The kitchen was big, with plenty of room to cook and eat.

 

We had been diligently saving our pennies and had arranged financing, so we wanted to move as soon as possible. After talking to our attorney (ALWAYS have your own attorney), we decided on closing the day after Thanksgiving and moving in right away. The transfer was flawless. The Arnolds allowed us to move things from our downtown apartment early once the deal was confirmed, and we started to fill the dining room. We also purchased some furniture from them.

 

After Thanksgiving, many new friends (we had known no one in RI before August) helped us move larger furniture at the same time Arnolds were moving out. Ellie had arranged something I would never have thought of... she hired someone to clean the closets as they were emptied, so once we moved our things in we didn’t have to move them out to dust and wipe things down. Our children were ecstatic as were we. It’s been virtually flawless ever since.