Written By Megin Potter
Photos by Susan Blackburn Photography
[From the 2025 Home & Garden Magazine]
By pouring their hearts into rescuing a Greek Revival, one couple restores a Ballston Legacy, together.
When they bought the circa 1845 Gervin House in 2020, Allison Trujillo and Edward Ryder embarked on a five-year restoration project full of fascinating history, amazing discoveries, and a whole lot of work.
Of all the properties they looked at, this one just “felt right.” said Edward. While he and Allison both fell in love with the character of this nearly two-hundred- year-old Greek Revival in Ballston Spa, the property needed numerous updates. It was, by far, the largest project the couple had ever tackled together.
“It was not all sunshine and rainbows, that’s for sure,” laughs Allie, “but we work really well together. I’ll have an idea, and he’ll say, ‘well, we can’t do that, but we can do this,’ and we’ll play off each other. Plus, he’s an amazing carpenter, so that helps!”
This spring they sold the investment property and have some advice to share with others daring to attempt a restoration project.
“Don’t give up,” said Allie. “Preserving historical architecture and materials is so important. These are things you can’t buy now, and they’re hard to recreate,” she said. Allie has loved architecture since she was a kid, and enjoys a good challenge. “I want people to see this and know that it is possible to preserve the character of an old house and still have a comfortable home with modern amenities.”
Timeless Charm
Edward began working as a carpenter for his dad when he was 14 years old. The convenient location of the Gervin House allowed Allie, Edward, and their four boys to remain close while the construction was completed room-by-room. Edward relished the detailed work – restoring salvaged items, adding trim, and aging new materials to match the style of the house.
Throughout the 3-bed, 2-bath structure, there isn’t one area that hasn’t been touched, said Allie. They designed the kitchen layout around the home’s wonderful old windows and Allie painstakingly restored each one (with antique glass when available). The kitchen’s custom woodwork includes an endearing window seat, baking station, and pantry. The parlor bedroom is Allie’s favorite space, but Edward has a harder time choosing.
“There’s so much of the house that I love,” he said. “My favorite though, is probably the upstairs bathroom. It just feels correct for the time period.”
Intriguing Revelations
While restoring the property, the couple made some curious discoveries.
When removing the structure’s drop ceiling, Edward found a weathered shoe, the jawbone of a pig, and an oil cloth stashed together in a cavity by the entryway.
After diving into the property’s history, Allie discovered the earliest known owners of the house were Dutch immigrants named Jacob and Mary Gervin. In the Netherlands, at the time, it was common for people to place tokens meant to ward off evil spirits in their homes. So, as to not tempt fate today, Allie and Edward put the pieces they found in an archival box with a handwritten note and returned them to their sacred resting place.
In another eerie mystery, outside by the barn is the gravestone of Jacob’s first wife, Mary. The reason why the marker is laying down in the backyard instead of standing in the family plot down the road may never be known.
Preserving History
Amazingly, Allie tracked-down living descendants of the Gervin family. She reached out through Facebook, and last fall, received a treasure trove of family documents including letters, postcards, photos, a diary, and more.
“We were both stunned,” said Allie. After photographing everything for the home’s new owners, they donated the collection to the Saratoga County Historical Society at Brookside Museum.
After chronicling their restoration adventure for Ballston Legacy’s thousands of online followers, the couple said they aren’t sure yet what their next project will be but that they are looking forward to restoring another old house in the area.
“This is a good place to live. This whole area is. Ballston Spa is full of old Victorian houses and Burnt Hills has some great Greek Revivals. It’s a wonderful community,” said Allie.
Follow Allie and Edward on Facebook and YouTube
@BallstonLegacy, on Instagram
@Ballston_legacy, and by visiting www.ballstonlegacy.com
