Many people driving down Gibbs Avenue averted their eyes from the house. Not Lori Sampson and Bruce Allen.

"We've been eying it for about four or five years," said Sampson of the Gibbs homestead, an 18th-century cape with a unique "A-gable" above the front door, that was the longtime home of the late Russell Baker.   "It looked abandoned, there was never a car in the driveway, no sign of life.  But it was so cool."

Plus they had another project. The couple met just after Sampson purchased the Mackie House on Main Street, the large, center-entrance colonial dating to 1774 that had been boarded up and vandalized for years and now is one of the most spectacular homes in town.

"I have a problem," Sampson said.  "I can't let these old houses go. Wareham has such a fascinating history.  We're not natives, but we've become Wareham history geeks."

So on Monday, August 16, the Gibbs house became theirs.  The next day, the work began.

A week later, and despite four-days lost to a rainstorm, the house has been stripped of its siding, roof shingles and windows.  But this is no tear-down project.  The couple's plan is to restore the home to how it looked in its prime.

"She's got good bones, she's just been 'unkempt' for years and years," said Allen.  "Thankfully, we have it now, and we hope the town appreciates what we're doing."

"She's a beauty, she deserves to catch peoples eyes" in a good way, added Sampson.

Architecturally, the A gable is most interesting, but not just because it is an architectural feature more typical of Victorian-era cottages. The house adheres to the standard 18th-century room layout with the exception of a front staircase - the feature that one might expect would most benefit from the extra clearance and light provided by the A gable.  Instead, there is only the back staircase that rises from the kitchen. The timber-frame joists (held together with wooden pegs) show no indication of a front staircase.

The house also has a lot of more social history.  Allen and Sampson have been told that it was the home of the Gibbs family, whose farm extended from the property line on the southern edge of the current 1/2-acre parcel all the way to the intersection of Gibbs Avenue and High Street. It is possible that the house was moved at some point.

Its most colorful history concerns stories about its longtime owner Baker.  A popular story around town says that Baker was determined to keep his house looking rather shabby in an effort to reduce his property taxes, a fact supported by the fact that the paint job appeared to be at least 60-years old, according to Allen.

Inside was a different story, however,  The homes' kitchen was filled with industrial-size, stainless-steel appliances whose electric needs and size caused extensive renovation.

As for Allen and Sampson, they hope to finish their work before the snow starts to fly in late November or December.  With their progress so far - and their competitive nature over who can sand the most floor area - it seems likely.  After all, the house is only approximately 1500 square feet.

"All it needs is cosmetic," Allen said.  "It needs a facewash."

So they've already got their next project in mind.

"Tremont Nail is next," Sampson said.  "But we'd have to hit the lottery to be able to do Tremont."