Contractors renovate 19th century Waverly home almost lost to flood waters
Twenty people died there after deadly flooding hit the city two years ago. Now, people are still rebuilding, refinishing, and restoring buildings and homes across Waverly.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Humphreys County Sheriff, Chris Davis, said it will still be another decade until Waverly is back to a new normal, but it will never be the same.
Twenty people died there after deadly flooding hit the city two years ago. Now, people are still rebuilding, refinishing, and restoring buildings and homes across Waverly.
James Proctor has been hard at work restoring a home on Maple Avenue. It was built in the 1800′s and is a diamond in the rough after the 2021 flood.
“I try to forget it,” said Proctor who survived the flood. “Really bad memories on that.”
Sheriff Davis remembers the Waverly he grew up in. WSMV4 spoke with him in front of a new temporary memorial for the 20 lives lost two summers ago. Since then, he’s seen the city transform with a new temporary school, bridge, and businesses.
“You see things in the county,” said Sheriff Davis. “I’m looking and seeing homes that have been built up. And you can tell the ones that are being built they are up a little higher than a certain grade. And you see the rebuilding coming back.”
Proctor is one of those renovating a home for owners originally from California.
“We had to take every bit of the floor out and rebuilt joists,” explained Proctor.
He and one other worker restored the floors and the doors. They also repainted the ceiling and kept bits of history already in the home.
“We actually found two pairs of shoes in the wall,” said Proctor. “The old timers believe when a kid outgrew their shoes, put them in the wall, gave them good luck.”
It’s good luck and new beginnings he hopes the next family will enjoy inside the “new” old home. Proctor said it will be about two more months until a potential family could move into the refinished house.
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