Escapes
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EXPLORING
AN
INFLUX OF RESTORATION
PROJECTS
IN
MINDEN
N E W & I M P R OV E D
W
R E S T O R AT I O N T O U R
A Renovation Renaissance
FROM HISTORICAL PRESERVATION PROJECTS TO REVAMPING UNDERUTILIZED PUBLIC SPACES, MINDEN’S BEING MADE ANEW
Story and photos by Mackenzie Treadwell Ernst
A
s many times as I have driven along the I-20 corridor, I’ve rarely allowed myself to take in all there is to love about Northeast Louisiana. Recently, as I drove into Minden, I couldn’t help but smile at a place that feels frozen in time in all the best ways. Small businesses, cobblestone walkways, and an impeccable variety of architecture begged to be explored and appreciated. Fortunately, I had the privilege to not only visit Minden in passing, but to talk with a few people who embody an adoration for the place they call home through their restoration efforts and passions.
Huffman Manor
From the moment you walk through the doors of Huffman Manor, your senses in their entirety are welcomed and at ease—soft, jazzy music entices you from the back door into the ambient main foyer, where I was greeted by the owners, Jim and Kimberly Huffman. The Huffmans found each of their callings, and each other, through the hospitality industry. With a combined experience of almost seventy years, the Huffmans have been able to make their way across America, learning from various hotel conversions, renovations, and alterations—and ultimately cultivating a cutting-edge vision for their personal endeavors. Now, settled in the heart of Minden’s Historic District, they are sure that they “have found a place to call home”. Beginning with their first bed and breakfast, Huffman House, in 2015 this couple’s long-term dream of fostering boutique accommodations in Minden continues to evolve with their latest endeavor down the street: Huffman Manor. Originally built by the Rathbun family in 1910, this decadent estate shines anew under the Huffmans’ touch—which includes just over seven weeks of restorations. They were putting the finishing touches on each room when I arrived. The Huffmans wanted to fully understand the memories that their new estate held, so they reached out directly to the former owners, eventually mak56
As Jim and Kimberly Huffman began renovating the iconic 1910 manor in downtown Minden, they approached the process with historic preservation in mind—hoping to retain the spirit of the home through details like original wallpaper, light fixtures, and more.
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