Graham House is situated in Cupids, Conception Bay. It was originally built in the 1870's by Nathan & Annie Norman, a staunch Methodist family who owned a schooner & fished the "Labrador." It was purchased by Tom & Jacinta Graham in 1995 while visiting friends & family in the area. Though not actively looking to buy a restoration project at the time, this neglected saltbox caught their eye. The house was not for sale but coincidentally, the owner was visiting from New York at the same time and after moderate haggling the Grahamıs purchased their "diamond in the rough."

The Grahams first efforts to discover the history of the house was to speak with the local residents about their many memories of the place. The structure itself also revealed clues as to the original appearance & functioning of the house. With the assistance of a paint scraper the original colour palette was discovered on which to base the new colour scheme. The removal of tin sheets revealed the original yellow brick of the fireplaces & kitchen hearth. Canvas floor coverings were peeled back to reveal pine boards measuring up to 12' wide & 20" in length. After much elbow grease, the floors were restored and roman numerals can be be seen carved into the boards indicating the lumber mill markings of 130 years ago.

The house was originally a 4-bedroom house with no indication of indoor plumbing, except a "porta-pottie" in the attic. The 82 year old nephew of Nathan & Annie supplied some old pictures of the house indicating that there was indeed a toilet. The only problem being, was this toilet facility existed in a rather drafty second level store across the main road and resting over the salt water pond. A facility, that was shared with a hornless black cow known as KNOT. The store was demolished in the 50's, so today the toilet facilities take up the fourth bedroom area and KNOT, is grazing happily in the greener pastures far beyond the breezy shores of Cupids salt water pond.

For the Grahams, there existed a dilemma during the restoration project, to reach a solution to the coming together of a comfortable modern home and maintaining the architectural & historical integrity of the house. For example, only one side of the house bears the original 6 over 6 sashes & windows but they found another unique way to restore the atmosphere of the house. Relatives & neighbours of the original owners generously supplied Tom & Jacinta with pictures of the original inhabitants. Enlarged & framed, Aunt Annie Norman , in her high neck victorian dress looks sternly from behind her picture frame and another of Walter Norman, her son who was a casualty at 19 years of age, in the Great War.

When Jacinta & Tom stay at Uncle Nathan's & Aunt Annie's for them time stands still. The sound of the ocean rolling on Cupids beach anticipates the return of the schooner from The Labrador.