MA MA - Joan Risch, 30, Lincoln, 24 Oct 1961

[Skigirl]

As a contractor who has worked on many capes like JRS ,with a garage attached. I have never come across one that didnt have a garage without an enterence to the house in Lincoln or surrounding towns.Because of the darkness inside the JRS garage, there very well could be a door hidig in the shadows!

It's funny because just yesterday I was looking at pictures of the small 1940s cape that we lived in until I was in first grade (when we moved) and I was trying to remember a door from the attached garage into the house, but I just could not remember one, nor could I remember where there would have been one, because the garage abutted the living room, and I'm almost certain that there was no door on that wall.

I think there were exterior doors in both the front of the garage (leading to the driveway and then the walkway to the front door) and the back (leading to a walkway to the kitchen door). I know that most often, we went out the front door to go to the car, but it seems odd to have built a house that way. I guess wall space was at a premium in those compact designs.

 

[Skigirl]

It's funny because just yesterday I was looking at pictures of the small 1940s cape that we lived in until I was in first grade (when we moved) and I was trying to remember a door from the attached garage into the house, but I just could not remember one, nor could I remember where there would have been one, because the garage abutted the living room, and I'm almost certain that there was no door on that wall.

I think there were exterior doors in both the front of the garage (leading to the driveway and then the walkway to the front door) and the back (leading to a walkway to the kitchen door). I know that most often, we went out the front door to go to the car, but it seems odd to have built a house that way. I guess wall space was at a premium in those compact designs.

This just goes to show how fallible memory is -- in looking at photos, there was no door in the front of the garage -- there was no room for it. There was only a door in the back (leading to the kitchen). When we went out the front, we must have opened the garage door to get to the car.

 

[billhp]

There is a photo showing a door on the back of the Rischs garage and the back yard.I can't find that photo!There's most likly another door close by, inside the garage leading to the kitchen,but we can't see it from file photo.If there wasn't a door from inside house to garage that would indicate two huge architecture design flaws.One having access to garage in bad weather and two getting to back yard by having to use the front door.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

There is a photo showing a door on the back of the Rischs garage and the back yard.I can't find that photo!There's most likly another door close by, inside the garage leading to the kitchen,but we can't see it from file photo.If there wasn't a door from inside house to garage that would indicate two huge architecture design flaws.One having access to garage in bad weather and two getting to back yard by having to use the front door.

There was no door that connected the main house to the garage.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

There was no door that connected the main house to the garage.

There could be a door farther back along the connecting wall in the area not visible in the photo but I did not find any reference to such a door in the case documentation.

I grew up in an area where houses had attached garages but there were no connecting doorways leading from the basement in to the garage. We had to exit the basement back door (to the back yard) and enter the garage from the outside garage door so I'm not shocked to see similar design (from that era) in other areas of the country.

 

[branmuffin]

There is a photo showing a door on the back of the Rischs garage and the back yard.I can't find that photo!There's most likly another door close by, inside the garage leading to the kitchen,but we can't see it from file photo.If there wasn't a door from inside house to garage that would indicate two huge architecture design flaws.One having access to garage in bad weather and two getting to back yard by having to use the front door.

This house is almost identical to the house I grew up in. There was definitely a door leading from the garage to the breezeway. Because of the design, the garage was set back at least 5 feet from the front of the house You might be able to see a small portion of the upper right edge of the door in the image you see from the outside. It was part of the perks of the design: to enter the house from the garage through the breezeway. That means a lot in a cold weather climate when unloading groceries or getting the kids in the house without getting soaking wet. A lot of people in the subdivision we were in (built in the early 50's) enclosed the breezeway front and back and used it as a 3 season sunroom.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

This house is almost identical to the house I grew up in. There was definitely a door leading from the garage to the breezeway. Because of the design, the garage was set back at least 5 feet from the front of the house You might be able to see a small portion of the upper right edge of the door in the image you see from the outside. It was part of the perks of the design: to enter the house from the garage through the breezeway. That means a lot in a cold weather climate when unloading groceries or getting the kids in the house without getting soaking wet. A lot of people in the subdivision we were in (built in the early 50's) enclosed the breezeway front and back and used it as a 3 season sunroom.

There is no door shown in the front of the garage, as revealed in the photo I attached in my previous post but there could be a door farther back along that wall.

 

[billhp]

This house is almost identical to the house I grew up in. There was definitely a door leading from the garage to the breezeway. Because of the design, the garage was set back at least 5 feet from the front of the house You might be able to see a small portion of the upper right edge of the door in the image you see from the outside. It was part of the perks of the design: to enter the house from the garage through the breezeway. That means a lot in a cold weather climate when unloading groceries or getting the kids in the house without getting soaking wet. A lot of people in the subdivision we were in (built in the early 50's) enclosed the breezeway front and back and used it as a 3 season sunroom.

When I lived In Lincoln 1957-1980 we had two car garage attached to a breezeway with door leading to breezeway from garage then door to kitchen.

 

[billhp]

There could be a door farther back along the connecting wall in the area not visible in the photo but I did not find any reference to such a door in the case documentation.

I grew up in an area where houses had attached garages but there were no connecting doorways leading from the basement in to the garage. We had to exit the basement back door (to the back yard) and enter the garage from the outside garage door so I'm not shocked to see similar design (from that era) in other areas of the country.

The picture of Risch's backyard that i can't locate, as I recall didn't show a basement bulkhead door.There is most likely a door in the back right corner of garage leading to house.

 

[billhp]

There could be a door farther back along the connecting wall in the area not visible in the photo but I did not find any reference to such a door in the case documentation.

I grew up in an area where houses had attached garages but there were no connecting doorways leading from the basement in to the garage. We had to exit the basement back door (to the back yard) and enter the garage from the outside garage door so I'm not shocked to see similar design (from that era) in other areas of the country.

So you had a basement door leading to a bulkhead door to backyard?

 

[billhp]

The picture of Risch's backyard that i can't locate, as I recall didn't show a basement bulkhead door.There is most likely a door in the back right corner of garage leading to house.There had to be a basement door leading out of basement to yard in event of fire.Stairs to first floor may be blocked by fire.There could have been a bulkhead on the gable foundation wall.

 

[billhp]

The picture of Risch's backyard that i can't locate, as I recall didn't show a basement bulkhead door.There is most likely a door in the back right corner of garage leading to house.

There could be a door farther back along the connecting wall in the area not visible in the photo but I did not find any reference to such a door in the case documentation.

I grew up in an area where houses had attached garages but there were no connecting doorways leading from the basement in to the garage. We had to exit the basement back door (to the back yard) and enter the garage from the outside garage door so I'm not shocked to see similar design (from that era) in other areas of the country.

Never crossed paths with a basement door leading to garage from basement You would have to build stairwell in garage floor after cutting doorway from foundation wall.That's the way i understood the post.Didn't make any sense.Did you mean exterior doors?

 

[billhp]

There is no door shown in the front of the garage, as revealed in the photo I attached in my previous post but there could be a door farther back along that wall.

Most likely!

 

[Stella]

There was no door that connected the main house to the garage.

I wish whoever took that photo had taken it with a view to the whole side of the house. It makes it look like what is being called the breezeway door the FRONT door. I can't recall any photos that would show the layout of the house.

 

[branmuffin]

Not sure if the link will help visualize what this modest Cape Cod house's floor plan was like. It's not an exact replication of what I think the layout was but it does indicate what I remember about my home when I was a child. Funnily enough, the attached floor plans were from a builder active during the 1950s and 1960s called Lincoln homes.

When you look at the floor plan you will see two versions of the ground floor layout. I believe the first layout on the left is the one that best replicates the Risch home, only as a mirror image. I also think that rather than having a bedroom on the ground floor it was more likely that the side of the house away from the kitchen and breezeway entry was a very large living room with centre fireplace.

 

[the_dahlia]

Sorry, I know this is a little off topic, but does anyone know the name of the books Joan was reading that started the whole staged disappearance theory? I found the names somewhere but have forgotten.

 

[witzah]

According to the dentist, Dr. Goldstein, JR had one cavity filled and another appointment set up for October 31 because she had six other teeth that needed work. This is in the PDF (page 42) of the timeline of JR's day. There is also a dentist chart of her teeth in the PDF and you can see where she has more cavities. Here's a link to the PDF.
joan risch.pdf

I’ve brushed AND flossed daily my whole life - I carried a toothbrush and floss in my school bag and brushed/flossed at school, too. I think my dental hygiene is above par, but I’m very susceptible to cavities. In my childhood I’d have 13-15 new cavities each dentist visit, & though this improved as I aged (& less actual tooth was left), in my thirties I still has a visit with nine new cavities. I put great effort into my teeth, but some of us are cursed with weak teeth.

 

[witzah]

FWIW, I don’t recall seeing most of the details included in this newspaper article summarizing the case ten years later:

19 Aug 1971, 3 - The Boston Globe at Newspapers.com

It includes the name of the dentist Joan saw that morning, info on a $40 personal check she received the day prior (& how a portion of that money Joan spent the last day she’d been seen), & a thorough timeline, including:

the names of the dry cleaner who went to the house that day (& was interviewed about his interactions with Joan);

names of school kids seeing her after getting off the bus (one of whom puts the dirty two tone colored car parked in the Risch driveway, behind/blocking Joan’s car);

the police using a bloodhound that night (noting the dog did not scent that Joan went into the woods or towards 2A);

reports of witnesses to Joan after the fact still getting reported as of the date the article was written;

And more! I’m not through with it but thought you’d be interested. In case anyone had trouble seeing the image, it’s from the Boston Globe, 8/19/71

 

[StarrChance]

Sorry, I know this is a little off topic, but does anyone know the name of the books Joan was reading that started the whole staged disappearance theory? I found the names somewhere but have forgotten.

Not very helpful but will keep looking

 

[StarrChance]

A few titles here, you’ve got me intrigued now.