Regaining some Ambrose luster

August 4, 2004

Regaining some Ambrose luster

California couple enjoys bringing Miller house history back to life

By Laura Enerson
Ambrose may never regain the vitality it had when A. Miller and Sons’ store was the center of a vibrant pioneer community. But the Miller house, once the grandest in the Queen City, is slowly regaining its luster thanks to Ambrose roots that reach deep into California.

Roger and Joy (Miller) Schlarb of Chula Vista, Calif., have been coming to Ambrose since 1995, repairing and redecorating the stately Miller house.

Joy is the daughter of A. George Miller, who was the brother of the late Harry Miller of Ambrose.

"We’re not restoring," explained Roger. "We’re just making it livable."

Roger is the main repairman, and Joy is the decorator. So far, they have done two bedrooms, the bathroom, and the parlor.

"We’ve learned how to do remodeling as we’ve done this thing," said Roger. The main work has been repairing cracks in walls and painting.

The progress from year to year is apparent.

"Look at this spot here," said Roger, pointing out a slight bump that used to be a crack in the wall.

He then points out the parlor, his latest job. The cracks in this room were much worse, but the walls are now smooth, thanks to sheets of drywall and on-the-job training.

"You just don’t realize how bad it was," Joy said, until the walls are patched up. They have done one wall in the dining room, which is next year’s goal.

The dining room is particularly special, since the linoleum there was laid by Joy’s grandfather in 1926, shortly before he died. The room now serves as Joy’s sewing room, where she keeps busy with quilting projects. The walls of the Miller house are now decorated with wall hangings that Joy made, as well as knickknacks found in the house after Harry died.

Each room has its own color theme. The bathroom is blue, and the master bedroom is apricot. The guest bedroom is yellow and blue, and the parlor is a light sage green.

Joy finds the house to be a great decorating opportunity, with lots of room for her quilted wall hangings.

"At home, I don’t have it on the walls like I do here," she said. Aside from having places to put things, the house also has a quiet, historical atmosphere. "The house is so conducive for quilting."

The big yellow and green Miller house, one of the grandest in town when it was built in 1905 or 1906, remains an almost unaltered piece of history.

The Miller family owned the A. Miller & Sons store in Ambrose, which offered a variety of goods including hardware, furniture, automobiles, farm machinery, and harness, as well as the town’s undertaking service.

The difference between the family’s way of life and that of many farmers was apparent. The lilac bushes surrounding the yard were some of the region’s first, and not many Ambrose houses can boast of having a parlor with a fireplace, as well as a sitting room. The house was once furnished with ornate antique furniture and vases from China.

Harry Miller, who died in 1997, lived in the house most of his life, aside from winters in California. His last summer in Ambrose was 1996, when Roger and Joy came to help him move out his furniture and belongings.

Since then, one or both of the Schlarbs have been back to spend a few weeks each summer, sifting through the dust of the past.

Going through the remaining articles in the house, Roger and Joy have found things both sentimental and historical, including old letters with the A. Miller & Sons letterhead, Joy’s grandmother’s tatting, and Harry’s college trunk.

"We’ve been going through old papers, trying to decide what’s most important," said Joy. "It just boggles your mind what history was like in those days."

Finding this much Ambrose history has prompted the pair to dig a little deeper. Roger has been researching the names of Ambrose residents, past and present, by spending time in the Ambrose cemetery, writing down names and dates. He’s also researching the Miller family.

"We’ve been hearing stories and names from Harry all these years," Roger said, and have met people in their summer visits.

"There’s a strong connection with Grandma," said Joy. "She came over, homesteaded, and was widowed at a fairly early age."

The story of her family and other stories of Ambrose are things the Schlarbs love to tell about. Each year, Roger and Joy invite members of their family to visit the house. This year, Joy’s sister came to visit. Next year Joy’s son and his family plan to come.

This sharing has been a favorite aspect of being in Ambrose.

"It’s been so enjoyable, bringing family and friends along," Joy said.

Their goal is to have the bottom floor of the house done in time for the Ambrose centennial in 2006.

"We love history," Joy said. "The house, to us, is living history -- something that you can share."

Used with permission

Click here to read the Harry H. & Minnie V. Miller Family History