Who was Jeanette E Barrett? Ben and Erin Napier honor Wetumpka's first female mayor on 'Home Town Takeover'
Having a space where a community can gather to celebrate important moments and milestones is essential in order to build a feeling of togetherness. And, with Ben and Erin spending more time in Wetumpka, Alabama, as they renovate the town on HGTV's 'Home Town Takeover,' they can't help but admit that it's a town close to their own heart.
This week, the couple takes on a very important part of the town's history, the Jeanette E Barrett Civic Room. Named after Wetumpka's first female mayor, Ben and Erin decide to give the space a much-needed update, along with a little help from their friends - 'Good Bones' host Mina Starsiak Hawk and 'Say Yes to the Dress's Randy Fenoli!
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Who is Jeanette E Barrett?
Jeanette E Barrett was Wetumpka first female mayor. Barrett started as mayor in 1984 and her term ended in 1988. As her daughter Jennifer explained, her mother loved the town greatly. The Jeanette E Barrett Civic Room was named in her honour, and its purpose was to serve as a town gathering place. However, most of Wetumpka seemed blissfully unaware of its existence. In order to have the place be used to its full potential and honor Jeanette E Barrett, Ben and Erin decided to give the place a much-needed makeover. Seeing that the civic room was owned by the town itself, it would also act as a source of revenue, and help the community.
How did Ben and Erin revamp the Jeanette E Barrett Civic Room?
Seeing that the space could be used to host town gatherings and other functions, Ben and Erin knew that it was necessary to create a warm, welcoming and homely vibe. The entire space had wood panelling - from the floor to the walls and the roof. The Napiers kept the wooden floors and ceiling but painted the walls white instead. They also added large french doors and windows to bring in a ton of natural light and brighten up the place. In addition to this, they also worked on creating a space in the backyard that could also host people.
'Good Bones' host Starsiak Hawk helped with renovating the space as well, seeing that adding french doors was a bit of a task, on account of a low header. As Starsiak Hawk explained, french doors require sturdy support. But, she managed to pull through, allowing the room to bask in beautiful, natural sunlight.
Ben also built a custom pergola for the place, complete with a 'wisdom box,' where people could leave and take little notes of advice and wisdom left behind. Starsiak Hawk's appearance wasn't the only surprise on this episode, seeing that Randy Fenoli of 'Say Yes to the Dress' joined in as well!
Seeing that a young couple, Tara and Blake, decided to take a chance on Ben and Erin and agreed to host their bridal shower at the Jeanette E Barett Civic Room, Erin surprised her with a visit from Fenoli, who helped Tara pick out a beautiful dress for her big day from his stunning collection. The episode saw the happy couple host their wedding shower at the civic room, where Tara debuted her dress, creating memories that are sure to last a lifetime.
You can watch 'Home Town Takeover' on HGTV on Sundays at 8 pm ET/PT and stream the same on Discovery+.