Let's Meet the Crafty Folks Who Have Hosted the PBS Series 'This Old House'

In the digital age, people love scrolling websites like Zillow to look at houses for sale. Even though most of us can't afford to buy, there is a strange pleasure in looking at what's out there. If you're someone who is delighted by the presence of original wood floors or a beautifully carved bannister, you might enjoy CIRCA.

This is the spot for someone who puts Victorian or Colonial in the search bar.

If you're lucky enough to buy a house, the fun and frustrating part begins once you move in. That's when the renovations occur. Some of them are necessary, while others are purely cosmetic. Either way, we live in a world where there is an HGTV show for whatever ails your new home.

Real ones know that the OG fixer-upper show is PBS's This Old House. It was simple and oddly relaxing. Over the years, the series has been blessed with a few hosts. Let's meet them!

Bob Vila was the first host, and as far as we're concerned, is the man. Compared to the other hosts, his reign was the shortest, but Bob's is the most recognizable name in the home renovation game. In April 2013, Bob told the National Trust for Historic Preservation that his love of old houses began when he was a child. He was raised in Florida, but his family was originally from Havana, Cuba.

When they visited, the family stayed in the Neoclassical house his grandmother had built in the 1920s.

When Bob left, Steve Thomas was the next host to take up the mantle, sometimes literally. Steve was already making non-home renovation-related documentaries for PBS when his publicist suggested he try out as a host.

At the time, he had already remodeled his Georgian Colonial in Salem, Mass., and loved the work. According to the Chicago Tribune, after 14 years, Steve left to work on other projects. It's the main reason for home renovators to go.

Kevin O'Connor was a banker before he snagged the best hosting job around. He told Charles + Hudson that it all began when he and his wife bought a 1894 Queen Anne. When the renovations got the best of them, they emailed This Old House for advice.

This resulted in a segment that became a full-time job. He was both thrilled and shocked. More than two decades later, Kevin is still leading the charge.