Story by Erika Heeren
Eagle has a rich history in rural life with a small-town feel. While today’s Eagle is becoming a growing community of commerce and suburban life, one family is continuing the legacy of one of Eagle’s original farm sites.
When Jane Klosterman purchased the home with her first husband in 1993, she was drawn to the classic old-town feel of the property. “It always felt like it was part of the heart of the old Eagle farming community; a time when everyone was neighborly and spent Sunday afternoons calling on one another! I guess I always felt more like a steward of the place than a property owner,” she explained.
Klosterman believes the home was built in 1919 based on the dates on some newspaper clippings that were stuffed into the installation of the original home. Sitting on just over 11 acres, the original house was only 800 square feet. The property hosted a couple of free-standing ranch hand buildings, a hay barn, and an 8-stall dairy barn with calving stalls.
“We been visited by people whose grandparents or great grandparents have lived there, and they told us that it had been a prune farm and a dairy at one time,” Klosterman said.
Initially, Klosterman intended to maintain the original buildings as her family grew. The family grew alfalfa, raised children, and enjoyed a quiet life in Eagle until the passing of Klosterman’s first husband in 2003.
Since then, Klosterman has remarried and moved back onto the property. Shortly after, she and her husband Ed Coulter realized that the family needed more space. So, she partnered with Eagle builder Wayne Swanson of Wayne Swanson Construction and designer Noelle Martinez of Studio Boise to create a new home on the property that pays proper homage to the rich history.
“I loved the original old farmhouse. When it became clear that it needed to be torn down I worked with Noelle, who understood what I was trying to do. We used some things from the old house – like some of the old doors and concrete sinks. We followed the old footprint of the old place to some degree. I wanted to keep some of the moments from the original house – like looking out the sunroom to the trees. The kitchen is also in the same spot, looking out to the barn. So, even though it’s a brand-new house – it has a very similar feel.”
This blending of old and new includes a completely new home while retaining the original barn and outbuildings. The home itself has kept the unique farmhouse appeal – setting it apart from many of the newer home designs in Eagle.
I’ve had people look for the property, and they keep driving by it because they don’t realize they’re driving by a new house. It does look like an older traditional home. That’s what I was trying to achieve.”
Throughout it all; the history and the people who have touched the land over the years will remain a part of the spirit of the property and the community around it.
