HOME driftless
GARDEN + 2025 | WEEK 2
Decorah family takes on dream home renovation Functional space key for growing household
after
BY ROZ WEIS DECORAH LEADER STAFF WRITER
during Before and after photos illustrate the extent of the renovation project at the Hemesath home. Some of the photos date back to a bygone era. Adam and Hannah Hemesath are pictured with their five girls: Alexis, Natalie, Paige, Kallie and Linley.
before
Adam and Hannah Hemesath of rural Decorah embarked on a significant home renovation project, aiming to meet the unique needs of their growing family — seven in all. Adam, a Decorah native, met Hannah, who haled from Mt. Pleasant, while they were attending Iowa State University in Ames. They married in 2013, and their family flourished during the 12 years which followed. They have five daughters: Alexis, age 9; Natalie, age 7; Paige, age 5; Kallie, age 3; and Linley, 18 months. Adam is engaged in farming and Hannah, a former local teacher, is a full-time wife and mother. The Hemesaths focused on transforming their historic home just off the Locust Road, starting from the studs in some areas and retaining some of the house’s original, fundamental structure — the home. “From what I could find, the house was built in 1900,” Adam said. “The previous owners moved into the house in June of 1975. They said they gutted the upstairs and main level, as well as added the garage and living room areas after moving in. When that family renovated the home, they
Hemesath home continued on page B-6
A vintage photograph of the old home, which dates back to the early 1900s, was framed and prominently displayed.
Published Tuesday, April 22, 2025