-Farm News photo by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby
Jon and Kim Jordan have many family heirlooms in their dining room.

ATLANTIC — With its original etched glass door, stained glass window, stunning woodwork and more, Kim and Jon Jordan’s classic farmhouse east of Atlantic would be an interesting time capsule by itself. The dEcor, however, takes things to whole other level, from the interior rooms to the porches to the stunning gardens surrounding the home.

These aren’t just random antiques and vintage items, either.

“Everything here has a story,” said Kim Jordan, who lives with her husband, Jon, in the cozy farmhouse.

Antiques reflect the heritage of the farmhouse, which dates to 1867. The original farmhouse was about 14 feet square and was made of local walnut.

“The kitchen is the hub,” noted Kim Jordan, who has decorated this space with wooden rolling pins, antique crocks and other farmhouse-inspired pieces.

-Farm News photo by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby
Rich woodwork and a vibrant stained glass window are among the many features original to the Jordan farmhouse.

Much of the furniture, dishes and other treasures in the Jordan home are family heirlooms. Other items, including an embroidered pillow that a family friend made to showcase the history of the house, reflect the rich heritage here.

Some pieces add a touch of humor — and truth. A framed sign in the dining room hearkens back to previous generations who have lived and worked on the farm. “That house is work-contagious,” wrote Agnes Paulina Dungan Jordan in a letter to her daughter-in-law, Grace, in 1915.

Jon and Kim Jordan can certainly relate. When they began renovating the home around 2010, starting with the upstairs rooms and working their way down to the first floor, it was a huge undertaking. “There were a lot of days when there was so much work to accomplish that we didn’t feel like we got much done,” said Kim Jordan, who noted that she and her husband also had full-time jobs requiring their time. “We definitely did all this in stages.”

Through the years, the Jordans added geothermal climate control and additional square footage to the farmhouse. One of their porches incorporates a diverse array of memorable items. The wall showcases a painted sign denoting when earlier generations of the Jordan family lived near Rolfe. A large wooden crate salvaged from an outbuilding now serves as a coffee table. A tall, antique wooden cabinet with the doors wide open provides ample display space for more vintage treasures.

One of the most meaningful items in the home is displayed near an antique secretary/desk in the dining room. Kim Jordan acquired this piece after a particularly stressful period in her life.

-Farm News photo by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby
Jon and Kim Jordan's farmhouse east of Atlantic dates back to 1867.

“Just for a little break, I drove to Elk Horn to the Egg Crate, a consignment/antique store. When I came to the last booth, I saw a white hand-crocheted apron made from a man’s handkerchief. I used to iron my dad’s handkerchiefs, so I knew what it was.”

There was some crochet work around the edges and bottom, as well as crocheted ties. Jordan paid $4 dollars for the item and brought it home. “I hung it on the oven handle while I was unpacking, and something on the bottom caught my eye,” Kim Jordan said. “It looked like a word.”

When she spread the vintage item on the table, she noticed there were two names, Curtis and Barbara, crocheted into the design. “Those were my parents’ names. I knew it was a sign especially for me. Can’t get more poignant than that.”

Stories like this abound at the Jordan’s farmhouse, which is located along Troublesome Creek Road. The property became a Heritage Farm in 2017. The farm’s original 80 acres have been owned by Jon Jordan’s family for more than 150 years.

In years past, this farm was the subject of the Academy Award-nominated documentary film “Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern.”

-Farm News photo by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby
Through the years, Jon and Kim Jordan did much of the remodeling work on their home, with some help from other relatives.

“The land, the house and everything in it tell a story of our ancestors, on both sides of our families,” Kim Jordan said. “I feel their presence every day.”

-Farm News photo by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby
One of the porches at the Jordan family's farmhouse includes an array of repurposed, vintage items from the farm's outbuildings and other sources.