braved cold and rain to tromp through the house
and survey its antiques and fancy glassware.
Reportedly, over 1,000 people registered to bid
and walk through the mansion they had been
driving by for years.
Furnishingsincludedamahoganyarmoirethatwas
7 feet tall, a massive four poster claw and ball bed,
dining room furniture, several oversized desks,
and lots and lots of Oriental rugs, including one
measuring 16’ X 32’. Elaborate crystal chandeliers
were sold along with decanters, cut glass bowls,
a sterling punch bowl with matching cups, and
a crystal handled ladle. There were numerous
pieces of fine china and large Oriental vases filled
with silk flowers. There were also several pieces
of framed art work, pots and pans, and sets of
washers and dryers. There were so many articles
to sell that the auction, which began at 10 AM,
lasted well into the night. Proceeds were used to
at least partially compensate the elderly sisters.
After the public auction of her contents, Dora
was listed for sale by its new owner, the bank. She
never had gutters or downspouts, and window
frames had not been painted on the outside, so
the wood around the huge arched windows had
rotted. By this time, vandals had stolen anything
of value that remained, including a furnace, door
handles and every switch plate in the house.
Help was on the way.
John Boyer, Mary’s husband and the retired
CEO of a waste management company in
Massachusetts, “found” Dora while surfing on the
Internet. He and Mary, who were living in North
Carolina at the time, had already restored 11
other homes. They decided to put in an offer and
were awarded a sales contract. Title issues delayed
settlement somewhat, but they took possession
of the house just before Christmas 2004.
It took six years and cost more than $1 million for
the original construction of Dora, which began in
1988. It took the Boyers just 11 months to work
their magic. By October of 2005, Dora was ready
and open for the Smith Mountain Lake Charity
Home Tour. All the windows had been replaced,
an impressive 16 X 39 solar-heated in ground pool
now punctuated the back patio, and nearly 100
trees and large bushes stood guard over hundreds
of flower bulbs, with a lush lawn as a back drop.
The elevator inside the home was tuned up
(embellished by stained glass doors) and came in
handy when Mary was moving things downstairs
without John’s help.
While Dora makes an impressive family home,
the Boyers believe she would be an equally good
commercial investment. They’ve added an eight-
car garage that could be turned into a stable,
Mary says, adding that Dora would also make
a charming B & B. Plus, it doesn’t take a rocket
scientist to see a bride floating down that front
staircase or a vineyard behind the house or to
imagine it as a business or religious retreat.
Mary knows that Dora can handle a crowd. She
recently hosted a fund-raiser and adoption event
for the Bedford Humane Society that raised
over $5800. There were 27 vendors selling art,
furniture and you-name-it all inside the massive
home. Over 350 guests attended. It was a raging
success, and Dora responded to the crowd just
fine, thank you.
The Boyers have remodeled the bathrooms in Dora
and have added gas logs to four fireplaces along
with a free standing gas unit downstairs. They put
in a library, a new kitchen, and stone pillars and
an iron gate out front.
This house was a special challenge to the Boyers
and just may have captured their hearts. This one
called out to them. They’ve lived only a few years
in the other homes they’ve renovated. They have
owned Dora for over 10 years, quite a long time
for people who “flip” real estate. Perhaps there’s a
little love involved?
If you’re interested, Dora has a price tag
of $1.389 million. For a virtual tour go to
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