My Plot of Ground

Woven into the history of the Culver House are the legends of this architecturally and historically important building. The once beautiful brick Queen Anne stands in Decatur, Illinois awaiting the completion of its renovation. This novella is written from the perspective of the house because the structure is the most significant character of all those who dwelled within the walls. For one hundred and thirty years people, events, and possessions have come and gone, but, after all the visible neglect, the house still stands tall. One of the main elements in the Culver House saga is that it was built on an Indian burial ground. Many of its problems appear to stem from this occurrence. Through the years there have been continual stories about spirits and ghost sightings. The volume of these personal and public tales is astounding. The individuals who have related their personal interaction with the spirits of the house were not the high strung and imaginative, but those calm, matter-of-fact people who do not believe in the supernatural. They truthfully told of their experiences as they perceived them. This book is historical fiction attempting to inform and entertain the reader as the history of the house is unfolded. As a reader, you do not have to be certain that spirits still inhabit this historic Queen Anne to enjoy the account of two outstanding families that resided here and the story of the house's demise and ongoing resurgence. It is the author's hope that the story will give other preservationists both encouragement and renewed energy as they work to restore or renovate their own historic buildings. The proceeds of this book will go toward the renovation of the Culver House.