Another of my hobbies exists where history and archtecture meet. I am an amateur student of architecture, more on residences than commercial buildings, with a particular focus on homes built between the end of the American Civil War through the end of World War II, which means Victorian architecture through Arts & Craft and finishing with American bungalows.
Our Home. Sabine and I live in a Prairie-style bungalow in San Jose that was built in the early 1920s. After we moved in (June 2005), I spent a lot of time researching the house and the people who lived in it. We have made changes to the house with the intent restoring the character it had originally (backdating) and undoing some of the insensitive remodeling that was done. You can read more about it here.
San Jose Then and Now. I originally created these webpages for the Buena Vista Neighborhood Association, but moved them to my own site in 2017. While the site is in need of updating, it's still a great way to look into San Jose's past, it public buildings and residences. I have been told the photos would make a nice book, but I only have so many hours in my day. I have a folder full of photos I should be posting and many more photos deserve updates because of all the development in downtown San Jose!
Shades of the Past. Because I had researched our home, I decided to offer this service to people who were interested in learning about the history of their house. Take a look at some sample pages.
Lego Houses. I love building things with the Lego blocks called Duplos. It's a very therapeutic activity, a great way to spend a rainy Saturday, and I get to play architect (the career I didn't pursue...). Enjoy!