MOUNT PLEASANT — Over the course of their 56-year marriage, a Mount Pleasant couple has amassed one of the most eclectic collections of vintage electronics, art, and not one but two trailers that look like a wagon.
Part Art Museum & Part History Museum
“Our motto was if it ain’t fun we ain’t doing it," Terry Evans said.
Terry and Hardy Evans have been married for 56 years. Since 2003, they have been living in what is essentially a warehouse. They've been given a conditional-use permit to live in this home that isn't a traditional house. They had to work hard but they convinced the city, police, fire officials, and more to allow them to live in this space. Once they could finally move in, they put their decade's worth of collections on display.
"Well it's a museum of paraphernalia that my wife and I collected through the years," Hardy said.
Hardy collects vintage electronics and communication devices like televisions, radios, and phonographs. He has dozens upon dozens of them neatly placed around his half of the home.
"It's a pastime that became a hobby that became an obsession and it just grew from that," he said.
He collected a good chunk of it as a garbage collector. It was the embodiment of the saying 'one man's trash is another man's treasure.'
"Everyone would say, 'I would throw that away.' Well, somebody did. Well, I hauled it home, and dressed it up a bit, and displayed it, and viola!" he said.
On Terry's side of the home is her art. There are collages, paintings, and sometimes unsettling sculptures - like a doll that has dog hair and eyes glued to it.
"We’ve done the house with the wallpaper and the formal dining room, and it's like let's get rid of all that, and put all our junk out in one big room and have a party," Terry said.
That's exactly what they did. There's a vintage pick-up truck in the middle of the home. From the floor to the ceiling, every inch of this home is covered in art or vintage electronics.
"Our motto is, if it ain't fun we ain't doing it, and we do a lot of show and tell," Terry said.
Hardy added that at least 1,000 people have walked through their home in Mount Pleasant.
Wayzless and Wayzalot
Walking through their home, you might not think that there is any space for them to sleep. On the contrary, they have multiple spare beds for people to sleep in. You just have to look hard enough. But inside their home is a trailer that looks like a wagon. It's called the Wayzless. That's where they sleep.
"This we built in 2010 after our Wayzalot was destroyed in a truck accident in Kentucky," Terry said.
It's called the Wayzless because it weighs less than the Wayzalot. More specifically, their current trailer weighs 4,000 pounds less and is 8 feet shorter.
When they retired, they wanted to travel the country. So they built their first trailer, the Wayzalot, and hit the road. The Evans had their first trailer for 11 years until it was completely destroyed in a car crash. That wouldn't deter them. So Hardy built a new one. During their two decades of travels, they met thousands of people who admired the RV. They gave tours of the trailer when people asked. It was a sight you couldn't not stare at when it drove by.
"And I never pick my nose when we're driving in the truck cause somebody's always looking at us," Terry said.
"We've had a great run."
Terry and Hardy have made tons of friends, collected to their heart's desires, made art, raised a family, and so much more. Now, some of that is sadly coming to an end.
Terry, 75, has stage 4 colon and liver cancer. She is going into hospice care in the next weeks. She believes she will be in hospice for about 8 weeks. Terry isn't scared, though.
"If we drop dead tomorrow, man we’ve had a great run, and it's been a lot of fun," she said.
As for her art, she knows her daughters will want to keep some pieces. But as far as the entire collection goes, she doesn't know what will happen. What will be, will be.
"Trust in the Lord. He’s blessed me my whole life, you know."
Hardy is still healthy, but he echoes the same sentiments as his wife and life partner.
"I enjoy it right now, and if I drop dead tomorrow, I've enjoyed it all for the last 50, 60 years," Hardy said.
They are comfortable sitting back and enjoying their life and what they have amassed in their home.
