Story by Allison Razic | Photography by Harris Visual Media
Tonya Cohron-Roth felt an immediate connection to the historic Potter Home from the moment she stepped inside. Attending an auction with friends, she found herself captivated by the property’s charm and potential. By the end of the evening, she had purchased the home. “I called my husband, James, and told him he better hurry up and get here because I’m about to buy a house,” she recalls with a laugh.
The Potter Home, built in 1888, is a stately structure set on 20 sprawling acres. With nearly 4,400 square feet of living space, the house boasts four bedrooms, two bathrooms, nine fireplaces and two claw-foot tubs. Beyond the main residence, the property features a barn and a renovated bridal cottage—a project that Tonya and James tackled first after buying to redo it to suit modern needs. For Tonya, the home wasn’t just a place to live, it was the perfect canvas for her dream of running an event venue.
Tonya describes her style as a blend of farmhouse and vintage, a reflection of her deep appreciation for heirloom pieces and historical connections. “We try to keep heirloom pieces throughout our house that have history,” she explains. Among these treasures is a hutch in the living room, originally a wedding gift for James’s great aunt from the Hines family.
Every corner of the home seems to tell a story. In the kitchen, a framed Maxwell House coffee advertisement holds special meaning. “James’s aunt worked at Fruit of the Loom for 45 years. She got it from a coworker and passed it on to us. It’s the perfect touch for our kitchen,” says Tonya. Even the foyer table has a unique origin: it was crafted by an artisan in Costa Rica, discovered by the couple during one of their travels. “It’s one of those pieces that adds character and connects our personal journey to the home,” she says.
Owning the Potter Home has also connected them to its rich history. Previous owners shared vintage photographs, and a man who lived there in the 1990s returned with pictures from his time in the home. Even James Potter’s great-greatgrandson contributed to the home’s legacy, donating a painting by renowned local artist Lorraine Kirby Schultz. “It felt like a gift to the house,” says Tonya. “It’s now displayed proudly in our dining room.”
While much of the home’s remodeling was completed by prior owners, they are grateful that care was taken to preserve its architectural integrity. The living room fireplace, for example, features what appears to be inlaid wood but is actually original painted metal.
“The updates they made were done so thoughtfully,” says Tonya. “For example, what we believe was originally the library has been converted into our owner’s suite since the original design didn’t include bedrooms on the main floor.”
Other updates included adding closets to the bedrooms, a modern necessity, while using reclaimed doors and copper ceilings from a period-appropriate local home. These additions seamlessly blend function with historical charm, maintaining the home’s 19th-century aesthetic.
For Tonya and James, the Potter Home is more than a residence; it’s a testament to preservation, community and the stories that tie us to the past. Tonya reflects, “We are just a small dot on the home’s timeline. It’s a privilege to be part of its story.”