(This article is part of an ongoing series that spotlights historic farmhouses on the Mid-Shore. These homes are being given new life by the younger generation that lives in them presently.)

The Roland family’s circa-1900 farmhouse features a welcoming front porch and brick walkway. (Photo by Meg Ozman)

To put it briefly, it was love at first sight for Lauren Roland.
She and her husband Chad had just pulled into the driveway of a circa 1900 farmhouse on Travelers Rest Circle outside Easton, and instantly knew this was where they belonged.
“We’re buying it,” she said. “I don’t even have to look inside.”
“This is us,” Chad said in agreement.
The house fit the bill for their family to a tee.
Lauren has always had a penchant for farmhouse decor but felt it seemed a bit out of place in their previous home in Wye Mills.
They wanted a historic farmhouse with some acreage, and their realtor found them exactly what they were looking for.
After a whirlwind of boxes, packing tape, a U-Haul truck, and two closings held on the same day had passed, Lauren, Chad, their son Mason, 11, and daughter Cameron, 8, were living their dream.
Their new home on Travelers Rest Circle sits on approximately 5.5 acres and was built in 1900 for the caretaker of the Travelers Rest Farm.
Across the road, in plain view of the Rolands’ front porch, stands the remains of the original terra cotta silos.
The dining room and upstairs bedrooms make up the original part of the house.
Later owners added on a kitchen, hallway, family room, master bedroom and bathrooms.
Decorative touches that really sold the Rolands were things like the pair of reclaimed doors from a church in New York that can close off the dining room from the living room, as well as a clawfoot tub in the master bathroom that was sourced from a home in Chestertown.
Since purchasing the home, the Rolands have made numerous improvements such as remodeling the downstairs bathrooms, adding hewn beams to the ceiling of the master bedroom, installing sliding barn doors to conceal closets and storage spaces, and painting the walls in tasteful greys and beiges.
Since the entryway doesn’t have much room for coats or shoes, Chad installed built-in coat racks with shoe cubbies in the dining area on either side of the window.
This helps the family keep everything organized so they can scoot out the door in time to get to Mason’s travel hockey and lacrosse games or get Cameron to her riding lessons.
Shiplap on feature walls in many of the rooms helps carry the farmhouse aesthetic throughout the home.
Along the way, they’ve become familiar with the joyful quirks of owning an older home.
The house is “very drafty, nothing is square or level”, Chad said.
While the finished third floor is a great place for the guest bed and kids’ toys, there isn’t any room for the HVAC air handlers.
They are tucked in a compartment built into the wall in the master bedroom, above a closet space where the washer and dryer are housed.
“There is zero storage,” Lauren added,” so she works hard to keep the clutter to a minimum and makes use of their carriage house-style garage as an overflow storage space when needed.
The charm of this property is not limited to the house.
Outside, a pergola and fire pit make the patio a relaxing spot for friends and family.
In the near future, an inground pool will be added to make this backyard even more of an oasis of entertainment.
Mason and Cameron enjoy exploring the woods surrounding their home and playing with their black Labrador retriever, Maggie, and their Pug, Miles.
And what’s a farmhouse without farm animals? The Rolands have a small flock of hens and two potbelly pigs, Piggy and Charlotte.
When asked about their previous home, Lauren and Chad agreed that they have no regrets about moving.
“This is where we’re supposed to be,” Lauren said with certainty.