The Benton Home
By Christina Davenport
Photography by Daniel Neuhoff/Creative Revolver
John Dalberg-Acton once said, “History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul.” And this sentiment couldn’t be more true for Brad and Wendy Benton.
When Brad purchased a 300-acre farm to raise cattle at the age of 27, he couldn’t help but feel as though he had uncovered a special slice of history. The property even came complete with a quaint 1930s farmhouse that offered a drastically different lifestyle than what he was used to. Fast forward several decades, and the farm is home to a whole new history – that of the Benton family.
Life on the farm hasn’t always been a walk in the pasture, however. When they first decided to undertake the addition of a retaining wall and the subsequent remodel of the home, Brad and Wendy were tasked with rectifying decades of water damage and other issues caused by less-than-ideal construction.
“People say they don’t build houses like they used to, and in our experience, that’s a good thing,” says Brad. “It would have probably been just as easy to tear the house down and start from scratch, but we raised our three children in this house, and we really wanted to keep those memories alive.”
The end result is a functional farmhouse that is as comfortable as it is stylish. Although the home may be sporting a new coat of paint and updated finishes, the Bentons have worked hard to make sure that the storied history of the house – and the items in it – doesn’t fade with time.