MOORHEAD — Some things probably won’t surprise you as you step into this grand old house nestled in the heart of Moorhead — rich hardwood floors occasionally creaking beneath your feet, walls covered in exposed, weathered brick and one of the most majestic winding staircases in the region. But other things might just catch you a little off-guard, including Fred, a little white stone goblin looking down upon everything from the second-floor hallway. Over the years, Old Fred has seen a lot, including the evolution of a city right outside his front door.
The house at 316 5th St. S. once stood alone on the flat land just across the river from Fargo.
Built in 1882, it became one of Moorhead’s first homes, and today, it is loved by self-proclaimed ‘house nerd’ Lauren Trefethren and her husband Robby, who stumbled across a real estate listing for the home in 2016. “I thought it was perfect. But I didn’t think it was real,” she said.
“It must have been spam, like a fake listing, because it was so beautiful. There were no other houses on the market like it.” Neither Robby nor Lauren grew up in older homes, and as young parents to a 3-year-old daughter, Josslyn, they weren’t really in the market for one, but they felt drawn to the house.
“The tall ceilings have always been my thing. The style, the hardwood floors, the light is everywhere. When we saw this place, we thought there’s nothing else like it,” Robby said.
“People have lived lifetimes in this ho.
