Coutant Garage Construction

The morning of Friday, April 23, 1965 found this load of lumber arriving on the Coutant building site.
There can be no doubt that Wickes Lumber existed before Wickes Furniture. Now there is neither.

By afternoon there were three walls framed and raised. Family members who arrived that evening
were impressed. The white wedge at the right is a flaw in the Polaroid developing process.

Without a workbench at the rear, this structure could barely manage to serve
as a three-car garage. But it is more than adequate for two vehicles.

Rosie came through with his end of the bargain, and showed up in his Chevrolac to help with the rafters.

At this point the house still had a flat roof. Soon a gable roof would be added to match the garage.
It would also make the house cooler in summer weather, and rain would be less likely to leak in.

The garage is almost wrapped and ready for stucco. All that remains to be done are the gable ends.

At this time the garage’s concrete apron did not exist, but was added a couple of years later.
Eventually the plywood door seen here was replaced by a segmented sheet metal roll-up.

Ready for stuccoing to begin. Mac, our springer spaniel, guards the garage door.

Stucco has been applied. Cousin Peter has relieved Mac of guard duty.

Martha, Cousin Peter, and Stan Sr. return from Bighorn Canyon with a load of
firewood for the garage stove. Mac and Beth greet them with tails a-wagging.

This cast-iron stove in the garage makes good use of the local firewood during winter weather.