NASHUA – Walking up the front lawn to the entrance of this large Edwardian home in the North End feels like a stroll through another time.

The home was built by E. Frank Stevens, founder of the Maine Manufacturing Co., in 1901. At the time, that business was one of the largest in Nashua, and its signature product was the “White Mountain refrigerator,” an ice box made of wood.

Although this home at 51 Berkeley St. has had much renovation work, it still captures – and intends to maintain – what life was like more than a century ago. The current owners keep at least the front of the home free of any modern-day anachronisms.

Patio furniture on the front porch may have been used in the early 1900s, before the advent of air conditioning. The foyer at the bottom of a large staircase has historic artifacts dispersed throughout, including one 1920s handbag put prominently on display. The dining area off the entrance, with dark wood-paneled walls and coffered ceilings, is lined with ornate blue and white china.

Owners Elizabeth and Richard Foemmel purchased the home in 2001 from real estate agent Cheryl Kisiday, of Keller William Realty. Kisiday remains the agent marketing the house today for $1.6 million, with the listing going up only a week ago.

But things have changed since the home was advertised some 12 years ago.

“Everything in here was dark, dark brown,” Kisiday said. “They had a large restoration. … It was the creepiest place you had ever seen. We joked it was the Addams Family house.”

New England Home magazine featured the home in 2008, referring to it as a “long neglected estate.” Today, any hint of “creepiness” is gone, with a fully remodeled kitchen and deck space in the rear of the home overlooking a pond. All of the rooms have been repainted to be brighter and more cheerful.

“The first time they came up … it was all about this piece,” Kisiday said, walking into one of several living spaces, off the foyer.

Kisiday said the Foemmels considered buying Dr. Norman Crisp’s home in Nashua in 2001, but their massive wood hunting chest, which spans nearly the length of a large wall, with detailed woodworking and alcoves to feature stuffed pheasants and other hunting trophies, was the sticking point.

“The other homes just didn’t have a wall large enough for this,” Kisiday said, noting that the large piece of furniture will be taken out when the homeowners move.

The estate, which sits on 2 acres – rare in an urban area such as Nashua, Kisiday said – has ample room for gardening and walking around. The Foemmels spent some time in England, so they take after the Brits with a custom of keeping sets of rubber boots by the doors for any visitor looking to walk around on a damp day.

The property is 10,000 square feet, with 10 bedrooms, nine bathrooms and five fireplaces. It has a unique architectural style, Kisiday said, with no two sets of windows alike. They’re all glass leaded windows with various intricate designs in different shapes. There are three floors.

On the first is the foyer, three-season sun porch, dining room, two living areas, bathrooms and the large kitchen with office space and connection to the back deck.

Climbing up the large stairwell to the second floor, one finds a mezzanine area with a prized smoking room. There are built-ins from the turn of the century that can be used for storing cigars and other fine goods, with a built-in bench in the windows overlooking the backyard.

There’s also a gold-painted frame that lines the sill of a large window looking out back.

On the second floor, you’ll find many bedrooms, including a master suite that has a servants area with refrigerated doors to keep morning snacks cool, a large walk-in closet, and his and hers bathrooms.

The third floor has two bedrooms that can be used as guest rooms, an exercise area, other office spaces, attic space and a storage closet with solid-wood built-in drawers in the walls from floor to ceiling. The Foemmels keep them well organized with sticky notes to identify the contents of each – linens, Christmas decorations, etc. The Post-Its are the only reminder that this room isn’t a time trip back to the early 20th century.

The basement has an area for a darkroom, a wine cellar and one space where the ceilings are more than 15 feet high.

Kisiday said at one time, a basketball hoop was placed there so visitors could play a quick pickup game, and there was also a small entrance to the backyard for ducks from the pond to come in and keep warm in the winter.

The Foemmels purchased the home for $700,000 in 2001 after it was vacant for some years. The million-dollar price tag today reflects the resources that went into repairing the home.

Kisiday said thankfully, these owners were the first in a series of five to embark on a restoration, and they worked to ensure the home maintains its original state as much as possible. The modifications keep the integrity, and the history, of the home alive.

“People love this house,” Kisiday said. “People from the North End always want to know about it.”

Samantha Allen can be reached at 594-6426 or sallen@nashua telegraph.com. Also, follow Allen on Twitter (@Telegraph_SamA).