Heitman House 118 years young

The Hietman house was built by Herman Heitman in 1890 on the family farm on Douglas Street one block behind Sharkey's in Gardnerville.

The kitchen was added. The original kitchen was in a separate building due to the frequency of cook houses burning down from a wood stove in combination with cooking grease. A bathroom was then added " and is now the pantry " bringing the size of the house up to about 1,000 square feet.

Michael and Nancy Miluck moved the house to its present location in 1975. They rewired, insulated, replumbed, converted the attic to living space and added a second bathroom. It was rental for 14 years.

After being purchased by present owners Joseph and Michele Smaltz, the house has been increased in size to approximately 1,750 square feet. Both open porches have been enclosed, a balcony added on the south side, insulation upgraded and storm windows have been added. The upstairs dormer added about 200 square feet.

The small barn was used as a saddle and gun shop for several years in Gardnerville.

The small shed next to the driveway was a cold shed used for storing fruits and vegetables. Inside seldom gets down to freezing in the winter and stays about 50 degrees in the summer due to a cement floor and 8-inch-thick walls that are filled with sawdust.

The Graunke house is directly across the drive. Built by the same carpenter, they are very similar in construction and floor plans. The Graunkes were related to the Heitmans through marriage. The residents of the house, two sisters, ran the Gardnerville Theater. The Milucks also had the Graunke house moved from Gardnerville to the present location in 1975.