Jeff wrote:
Is the wall in line with other walls, like the sides of a hallway? Is it on
top of a wall in the first story? If yes it is providing support. Whether
the support is necessary should be determined by a structural engineer.

Yes, it's in line with the side of the hallway. Since this is a ranch
home (with what--thanks to you guys--I now realize is definitely a
"stick-built" roof), there's no second floor.

The 10 X 10 square that forms the bathroom area of the blueprints (main
bath + 1/4 of the sf for a powder room) is about 8' away from the main
hall load bearing wall, so Mr. Meehan's theory of "thirds" seems to
hold here...*except* that none of the bedrooms on the opposite side of
the hallway, nor the living room, have any such "third" partition
walls.

Ha, now that I think of it, the ceilings *are* sagging a little in the
bedrooms! Anyone have any surplus pillars they want to sell?

But you guys not only taught me some good lessons but convinced me not
to even think of getting out my reciprocating saw. Give a girl a
reciprocating saw and there's no telling what she won't tear down I
almost tore down the load bearing wall of a four story home I owned
when I was younger, so if you all have daughters--never give 'em a
Sawz-All without an engineering lesson!!!