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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995 Historic Homes Tour 1995 Historic Homes Tour "The Classics of Early College Station" The Lancaster Home, Introduction 303 Dexter Drive Historical Significance Robert Roy Lancaster and Erma Douglass were married on September 29, 1921 in Fort Collins, Colorado. He was employed as a County Agent in the Agricultural Extension Service first in Idaho and later in Colorado. Erma was also employed by the Colorado Agricultural Extension Service where she became the first State Home Demonstration Agent for the State of Colorado. Mr. Lancaster was a graduate of Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Mrs. Lancaster graduated from Colorado A&M (later, Colorado State University) located in her home town of Ft. Collins. After their marriage, they moved to College Station in November, 1921, where he was employed by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. He later became the State Grass and Pasture Specialist. He was instrumental in introducing St. Augustine and Coastal Bermuda grasses to this area. Erma was reared and lived the first first thirty years of her life within a block of the campus of Colorado A&M. She spent the remainder of her life living within a block ofthe campus of Texas A&M. They moved from Colorado to Texas by train with their few belongings and household goods on board. Among those belongings was their only means of local transportation --a 1917 Indian Chief motorcycle with a sidecar. They lived for a short time with a Mrs. Spell on East 27th Street in Bryan. The transition for Mrs. Lancaster from cool, colorful Colorado to Texas was anything but subtle. As they were on the train crossing the rather barren plains of north Texas, Mr Lancaster realized his new bride was crying softly to herself Alarmed, he inquired of her concem. She told him that of all the rivers they had crossed in '1`exas, the only one that had any decent amount of water was the Colorado. Soon after their arrival in the area, Mr Lancaster became involved with four other college associates in the development of College Park, the first residential area outside the borders ofthe 'l`exas A&M campus. '1`he five individuals formed the Southside Development Company and bougltt 85 acres of land joining the southern border ofthe campus. '1`he land was purchased in two parcels for a total cost of`$7314.12 (Approximately $85 per acre) An article in the August 30, 1925, Dallas Morning News described the College Park development. A copy of the article is attached. The four other associates in the development were: Floyd B. Clark, Department of Economics; Daniels Scoates, Department of Agricultural Engineering; M. M. Daugherty, Texas Agricultural Extension Service; and, C. Winfield Burchard, Department of Chemistry. The Daughertys and the Lancasters built the first two houses in College Park in 1922. They were built simultaneously by the same contractor, Clarence Andrews, on adjacent lots, nos. 5 & 6, in block 21 on Dexter Drive. The architect for these two houses and for many of the later ones, was Drink B. Milner, Department of Agriculture, a son of a former Texas A&M president. Milner later designed and built a house for himself in College Park. His is the one addressed now at 502 Dexter and currently owned by Dock Burke. The Lancasters first built the garage and lived in it while the house was under construction. This first house was a small l-1/2 story Cape Cod bungalow with a gambrel roof Of the five children born to the Lancasters, the 3rd, 4th and 5th,James G., William B. and John S., were born at home in this first house. William and his wife are the present owners ofthe property. In 1926, Mr Lancaster's father, Robert Fulton Lancaster, came from Nevada, Missouri, to live with his son and family. He died at home in December, 1929. In 1935, the original house was moved to its present location at 505 Dexter. To move the house, it was lifted and mounted on two large wood "shoes" each running from the front to the back of the house. Short sections of wood track were placed under and in front of each shoe. Several sections of metal pipe were then placed on the tracks and the house was lowered onto them. A truck was harnessed to the house and pulled it as it rolled on the metal pipes pipes very much in the same way that you would roll a small box across the floor on several pencils. As the house moved forward, the track and rollers were retrieved fiom the back of the house and retumed to the front providing a continuous path for the house as it traveled along the gravel street to its new location. The present house at 303 Dexter was built in the Spring of 1937. Architectural significance The present home is of Spanish colonial architecture with an overhanging balcony across the front on the second floor. The plans were adapted from a design found in Better Homes & Garden magazine. Jesse Shelton was the architect/building contractor. All the exterior walls have diagonal shiplap sheathing under the 8" beveled siding. The interior walls have horizontal shiplap sheathing four feet high and spaced l x 4 lath on the upper part of the walls. The interior walls are further covered with "Nuwood", a product new in 1937 and the forerunner of the present day celotex. The Nuwood is covered with a thick coat of stippled texture and painted. Originally, the woodwork was wiped with grey paint allowing the wood grain to show. All the woodwork, except in the kitchen and den, is currently painted in bone white. The floors are 4 inch pine laid on a diagonal shiplap sub-floor. The downstairs floors are further covered with inlaid linoleum which initially made the house more suitable for entertaining. The downstairs and part of the upstairs are currently carpeted. The downstairs of the house was initially arranged with a large living room, dining room, morning room, kitchen, 1/2 bath, laundry/utility room, and a screened back porch. The upstairs was initially arranged with 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, a deck over the back screened porch, and the covered balcony across the front. A full staircase leads to the 3rd floor which initially was a semi-finished, large recreation/storage area across the full width of the house. Semi-finished walls to the 4 foot level of the roof` slope separated additional storage area under the lower space of the eaves. Mr. & Mrs. William Lancaster bought the house in 1967. At that time and during the years following, the 3rd floor has been finished and a bath added to it. The kitchen, laundry/utility, and morning rooms have been remodeled to provide a breakfast room and a small room used as a pantry and to house the central heating & air conditioning. An addition as been made to the back of the house incorporating the back screen porch, the original detached garage and the space between the garage and house. On the 2nd floor, two of the bedrooms and the deck over the original screened porch have been developed into a bedroom, living, and office area opening onto a deck over the addition to the rear of the house. Social Significance The larger home built in 1937 lent itself to frequent entertaining as the five Lancaster children grew older. It was not uncommon to push the furniture back to provide for dancing in the large living room with the waxed linoleum floor. The children‘s overnight guests on the week-ends sometimes presented a challenge for breakfast on Saturday morning. On one such occasion, Mrs Lancaster attempted to make a head count while everyone was still asleep on the 2nd and 3rd floors. She determined that a trip to the grocery store was necessary. She went to the car for the run to the store and found two more boys asleep in the car. In 1940, at the request of Mrs. Lancaster, a young couple, Manning and Nita Smith, began a weekly dance class in the Lancaster living room. This began a long and illustrious career for the Smiths who became internationally known as dance instructors. Since there were virtually no motel/hotel rooms available in the area, it was common for residents to rent rooms to the lady guests of Aggies on special week-ends. The Lancaster boys would move up to the 3rd floor leaving their rooms available to the ladies. One such lady was a Katherine Grandstaff from Columbus, Texas. She is better known today as Kathy Grant, the widow of Bing Crosby. The grandchildren of the present Lancaster occupants at 303 Dexter are the filth generation of Lancasters associated with the property. Bill and Mary Lancaster try to carry on the tradition of making the home open to guests and students. LIVING ROOM Welcome to the living room. Mary Lancaster asked me to say that her only decorator has been one of sentiment, that almost everything in this house has been passed down from ancestors and family or given as a gif} or has been purchased from neighbors and friends of years gone by. Whatever the furnishings of this house are lacking in monetary value, they are valuable in memories and nostalgia. First, let me begin with the art work. Bill Lancaster's Grandmother, Harriet Grace Lancaster, was an accomplished artist. She lived in Nevada, Missouri and died in childbirth with her fourth child before the turn of the century. Hanging in the front hall, which you will see as you go up the stairs, is a charcoal portrait of her husband, Robert Fulton Lancaster, which she did in 1883, just before they were married. It is signed and dated. The portrait on the easel is of her two children, Mabel and Robert Roy, father of Bill Lancaster. The allegory on the front wall is done in charcoal and is called "Wheel of Fortune". As you can see, Fortune is tempting Ambition with the crown of power and dropping gold coins at his feet. Ambition is trampling over virtue, but Death is at his elbow as his path becomes more narrow and a deep chasm lies ahead. Other art work in the room was done by Aunt Mable (little girl in portrait), Mary Lancaster's Aunt Mac, and Laura Arth, the Lancaster's daughter who lives next door. The bridal portraits are of the Lancaster girls, Laura and Nancy and their son Brad's wife, Karen. The Duncan Phyfe couch was purchased new in 1937 for this house when it was built. The ladies writing desk belonged to Erma Lancaster‘s sister, Aunt Mina from Colorado and the washstand was a family piece from Robert Roy‘s home in Nevada, Missouri.The rocking chair was purchased from the F. B. Clark estate next door and is identical to the one Mrs. Lincoln sat in all night after President Lincoln was shot. The Lancasters call it the Lincoln chair. The coffee table was purchased from Lorraine and Breazy Breazeale. It is handmade of solid walnut by a Mr. Hall of Bryan, a long time cabinet maker. Breazy Breazeale played basketball four years for A&M and graduated in 1935. They are neighbors and live on Thomas Street. The hand crocheted tablecloth was a wedding gift to Mary and Bill 42 years ago and made by Mary Lancaster's elderly Aunt Lil. The Baldwin grand piano belonged to Erma Lancaster‘s sister Mina, and was given to Erma when Mina passed away in 1939. Erma taught many piano pupils on this piano, through the years. Bill says his Mother, wife and daughter Nancy have all taught piano but he still cannot play. However, he did play the cello for 13 years, which you can see here. In the l930's and 40's, Colonel Richard Dunn was the Aggie Band Director and had played in the band of John Phillip Sousa. During that time, Colonel Dunn also directed an orchestra in Consolidated High School. You may want to look at pictures of the orchestra on the piano. All of the 5 Lancaster children, Doug, Cynthia, Jim, Bill and Johnny played in the orchestra. Cynthia, the only daughter, played the harp and became the first person to graduate in harp from the University of Texas. She also had the privilege of playing with the Aggie Band long before girls were admitted to the Aggie Band. This picture album-music box was 100 years this past Christmas. lt was a Christmas present to Mary's Aunt Pearl from her fiancee, just before they were married in 1894. lt plays two songs, "General Gar1ield's March" and "Tell Me With Your Eyes". Mary has recorded a short portion of it for you because it still plays. I'll play it for you as you go into the den area. DEN AREA ---Welcome to the Den Today Mary and Bill Lancaster are using this room to display some family items of the past from both sides of their families. This table here, would be classified as a Texas primitive and was made by Mary's Great-Grandfather, Levi Harper for his daughter, Laura, when she was married in 1879 in Madison County, Texas. She raised her six children around it. lt is put together with wooden pegs and is still very sturdy today. Displayed on the table is a "Chauncey Jerome" clock. It was made in 1846 and owned by Bil1's Great-Grandparents, James and Lucinda Lancaster of Nevada, Missouri. The framed plate was a wedding gift to them when they were married in 1839.. Their pictures are on the table also. The cedar lamp had sentimental value for Erma, for the wood came from above the timber line on Mount Evans in Colorado. The sewing machine belonged to Mary's Grandmother, Nancy Whiteside and was purchased in the late 1880's. Notice the antique pinking shears and pin cushion. On this table are displayed two family Bibles belonging to Mary's family. One from her Great-grandparents, Levi and Sarah Jane Harper, the other from her Grandparents, Jonathon and Nancy Whiteside. Her ancestors migrated to Madison County, Texas from Alabama and Mississippi, some before and some after the Civil War. Displayed on the table is her Grandfather Jonathon Whiteside's parole from a Union Prison Camp after the Civil War. He was only 18 when the war ended. The Knabe grand piano belonged to Erma Lancaster. When she received her sister's piano, the Lancasters gave this piano to A&M Consolidated School in 1941. It was used for many years and when Brad Lancaster returned home from Baylor to teach at the Consolidated High School, he found it ready for disposal. He was given permission to retrieve it and as you can see, it is awaiting restoration. Most ofthe quilts displayed were made by Mary's Mother, Mattie Ora Whiteside, in the l920's and 1930's. Her love of handwork was passed on to her daughter. The quilts are identified as to pattern, date, etc. Please feel free to look at them. Mary and Bill's Grandson, Teddy Smith also loves to draw. Two years ago Mary asked him for a picture he had drawn. At age 12, he gave her his pride and joy, a portrait of Michael Jordan, the professional basketball star. Please feel fiAee to look at any displays and then continue to the kitchen. THE KITCHEN ---Please come into the kitchen. Bill and Mary Mary Lancaster purchased the family home in 1967 when Erma Lancaster reached the age she felt she could no longer care for the house. At that time, Bill and Mary remodeled the kitchen adding another eating area. Also, at that time, they attached the original garage to the main house with a breezeway/carport between. They made separate living areas for Erma and Mary's Father, Talmage Whiteside. They lived here until there deaths in 1973 and 1975. Mary thinks of this refrigerator as her new refrigerator but it is now 28 years old and is still going strong. lt was originally green but was painted mauve. The table is set with dishes from Mary 's family. The tablecloth, silverware and glass basket centerpiece belonged to her Mother, Mattie Ora Whiteside. The silverware pattern is called "Sweetbriar". The pink depression dishes were collected to match the round platter in the center ofthe table that belonged to Erma Lancaster. the pattern is called pink "Windsor". The pedestal cake plate and pink iced tea glasses glasses were Mary's Grandmother, Laura Batson's. The glasses were given free when you bought a box of tea in the l930‘s. The glassware on the top shelf was purchased at a small antique store in Normangee, Texas where Mary grew up. After she bought them, the owner of the store told her they were from an estate sale at the ranch home of John Henry Faulk in Madisonville. The Lancasters have always referred to them as the "Hee Haw" glasses because of Faulk’s appearances on the television show. The Lawyer shelves once belonged to the Lancaster‘s friends, Paul and Lois Harms. The black iron kettle on the stove came from Robert Roy's home in Nevada, Missouri. There are other family pieces on the kitchen counter which are labeled. Note especially the "Little Brown Jug" which belonged to Mary's Grandfather, George Batson. Mary's Mother always insisted that the contents were "for medicinal purposes only"! Please feel free to look and then proceed to the dining room. DINING ROOM ---Please come into the dining room. The furniture in this room is a collection of pieces bought at various times and places. Mary bought most of them in the l960's when antiques were much less expensive than they are . today. She loves to refinish furniture and has refinished most of the pieces in the house and in this room. The Queen Anne dining table and six bentwood chairs were bought at Kooken‘s furniture in Navasota. There were many coats of paint on the table, including gold. The buffet she bought in Brenham and also had many coats of paint. The china cabinet was bought from John Otts at the Gazebo and the oval tea server is imported from England. This oval style is becoming popular in reproductions today. The high chair in the comer belonged to Mary as a baby. All three of her children and all live of her grandchildren have used it when coming to this house. The A&M Commemorative plates were first made in 1939. Pinky Downs, the Lancaster's next door neighbor negotiated with the Wedgewood China Company in England to make the original l2 patterns of buildings on the A&M campus. Later 3 more plates were added. They were available until the l960's but are no longer made. The Lancaster bought a set of the original shipment of l2 plates, as indicated by a mark on the back, then later bought originals of the other three. There are live of the Lancaster children , so each of them got three of the original plates. Mary Lancaster has one Baylor plate, where she attended, a plate of the First Baptist Church in Normangee, where she was baptized and where she and Bill were married. The blue plate was a gift from a student. On the dining table, the silverware pattern is called "Berkshire" and was patented in 1896. It was Erma Lancaster's Mother's pattern. Bill and Mary have collected pieces through the years, The china belonged to Mrs. Pinkie Downs, next door,. The salad plates and stemware are yellow "Jubilee" Lancaster glass. Mary said Bill was never very interested in collecting antique glass until they discovered the "Lancaster" glass. The silver candlesticks and covered casserole dish were given to Mary and Bill by the First Baptist Church of College Station in appreciation for their cooking the Wednesday night supper for 6 l/2 years. The silver tea service and ice bucket belonged to Mrs. Eleanor Burchard who lived in the pink house on the comer for 54 years. She was a graduate of Columbia in New York. She and her husband came here and he taught Chemistry for many years at A&M. They are one of the original live families who developed College Park. The marble on the buffet came ltom the soda fountain of Nash's Drug Store in Normangee, where Mary spent many hours growing up. lt was a gilt from a friend, Joe Poteet. Can anyone tell me what this tall glass cylinder is? It is the glass from an antique gasoline pump. There is a BB hole in the back to prove its authenticity. Mary's father was with Mobil Oil for many years. Now you will go up the stairs into the blue bedroom at the left of the top of the stairs. As you go through the front hall, you will see the charcoal portrait of Father Lancaster. Brad, Mary and Bill's son said when he was a little boy, "Father Lancaster's eyes follow you down the stairs when you come down for a drink of water at night". Also, the walnut dry sink under the painting. lt is very old, made with wooden pegs, and came from Robert Roy's home in Nevada, Missouri. As you go up the stairs, you will see early childhood pictures of Mary and Bill's three children. THE BLUE BEDROOM ---Please come into into the blue bedroom. The fifth generation of Lancasters, Bill and Mary’s grandchildren, call this room the "baby room" because it houses the baby bed where each grandchild slept as an infant. The Dutch Doll baby quilt was Mary Lancaster's, hand made by her Mother. The quilt on the baby bed was quilted by Mary. The animals in the bed are a Consolidated Tiger, a Baylor Bear with Ma1y's 1951 freshman "Slime Cap" and a stuffed grey elephant named "Rum Tum Tummy". The elephant was made especially for Bill by his mother and was one of his favorite toys as a very young child. He is now 65 years old. The blue children's tea set on the wall was a gift to Laura and Nancy Lancaster when they were children, from a neighbor, Caroline Silvey, The Silvey family, built and lived for many years in a large two story, six bedroom house behind St. Thomas Episcopal Church. The home is now owned by the Church and operates a children’s center in it. Dr. Silvey was head of the Physics Department at A&M for many years. Their oldest daughter, Caroline, never married and lived at home, took care of her parents and ultimately lived alone in the house. The tea set is a treasured gilt for they were Carolines as a child and are probably seventy-five years old. The oak Eastlake bed belonged to Mary Lancaster's grandparents. Her Grandfather, George Batson bought it for $3.00 before the turn of the century. They bought it from a physician and his family who migrated to Madison County, Texas in the late l800's and lived for a time, then decided to move farther west. To lighten their load in traveling by wagons, they decided to sell some of their furniture. Mary's Grandmother Laura Batson was quite adept at delivering babies, and was called upon quite ohen to deliver a baby if a doctor was not available. During delivery, she had the expectant mother blow into a bottle to expedite the birth. This was long before the Lamaze method came into being. Many family members were born on this bed. The bonnet dresser and bedside table belonged to Mary's Aunt Pearl and are of the same era. The library table was in the Lancaster family. The hand carved wooden figures came from Germany and were a gilt from Bill's oldest brother, Doug. The blue wicker loveseat, Mary bought in Brenham years ago. The china doll belonged to Mary's Mother, Mattie Ora Whiteside. She got her for Christmas in 1901 when she was ten years old. This house has had many overnight guests through the years. One guest who slept in this room is well known. Johnny Lancaster had an Aggie friend in the 1940's, who dated a girl named Katherine Grandstaff . She came up for a special dance at A&M and spent the week-end here. She later was known as Kathy Grant and became Mrs. Bing Crosby. You may now go into the pink bedroom on our right. THE PINK BEDROOM ---Welcome to the pink bedroom. This is Mary's childhood nostalgia room. Mary was born to Talmage and Mattie Ora Whiteside, who had been married for 22 years before she was born. As an only child, her parents were a lot like Grandparents to her. Their pictures hang on the wall here. The four poster bedroom set was a favorite of Mary's as a small child. Her parents bought these pieces from an estate in Teague, Texas in 1922, where they lived. They were always in a guest bedroom until Mary was a teenager and they became hers in her room. The bedspread was hand made by Mary. The pattern was from her Aunt Pearl. She had the pattem for over 40 years and finally got around to making it! The doll on the desk here was Mary's last doll. She is an Effanbee doll as you can see by her bracelet. She got her for Christmas in 194l. As you recall, that is the December of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The four poster doll bed by the big bed is very special to Mary. It was hand made by her next door neighbor in Normangee, Mr. Will Hunt. He was the Mayor of the little town and was a wonderful old philosopher. He and his wife had no children. He made the bed for her the same Christmas of 1941. Both the doll and the bed were put on display in the window of Miss Edna Peters Variety Store, for several weeks after Christmas. The rocking chair was Mary's as a young child and matches her high chair in the dining room. The pink rosebud bowl and pitcher on the dresser belonged to Erma Lancaster's Mother, Cynthia Ann Douglass in Fort Collins, Colorado. The tatted lace doily was made by Cynthia Douglass, also and is very old. .You will past the "Book Nook" across the hall into the master bedroom. You will notice a collection of Life magazines from the l930's, 40', and 50's. You will notice that a single copy cost l0 cents and a yearly subscription was $4.50. My how times have changed! MASTER BEDROOM ---Welcome to the master bedroom suite. We will look at this part first which has been made into an office for Bill. Originally, this room was two bedrooms with a closet between. In 1979, it was opened up and extended to make one large living area. Recently, Bill has made an outdoor deck and stairway to the patio below. Bill regrets that the stairway is not painted, but after building it with treated lumber, he found it should not be painted for at least six months. Bill also built the wall cabinets for his office. The wooden filing cabinet was used by his father in his office here at home. The french desk was picked out for Bill by Mary in the early l970's. The Aggie lamp was a gift} to Bill from his children as was the collage of College Station, recently done by Ann Rife. The poem that goes with the picture was written by Peggy Callihan. The wooden chest was purchased by Robert Roy Lancaster when he was in the Cavalry and stationed in the Philippines from 1906-l9l l. The name written on the brass plate is Lancaster, written in Chinese, we think! The shadowbox above the chest is filled with memorabilia of Robert Roy’s days in the Cavalry, his ensignias, rifle medals, spurs and his horse brush. The Corporate Seal is from the "Southside Development Company" which developed College Park. On his desk, Bill has his father's watch and some family pictures. This collage depicts many areas of Bill's life as he has spent most of his life in College Station and on this lot. He certainly was familiar with the old College depot. He is an Aggie. He was familiar with all the campus houses and watched them be moved off the campus. He and his brothers and sister played in the woods which are now residential areas and played on the framework of many of the homes as they were being built in this area. He went to the old school on campus, then to the wooden buildings now just off George Bush Drive. He knew North Gate from the time of Luke and Charlie's grocery store. He thought the first four books ofthe New Testament were Matthew, Mark, Luke and Charlie. He was a member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee of College Station and helped in planning Wolf Pen Creek Park and has been very supportive of the George Bush Library. We will now go past the bathroom into the bedroom area. The hooked rug in the bathroom, Mary started in 1948 and just finished a couple of years ago. It is made of narrow strips of wool material instead of yarn. The green wool of the leaves are made from her high school cheerleader uniform. Three pieces ofthe bed room furniture are of Louis IV design, the bed, dressing table and commode or bedside table. They are imported and were purchased many years ago. The camel back couch, Mary bought recently from a college student and recovered it. The dressing table stool belonged to Mrs. Pinkie Downs and the chaise lounge was purchased from Edward Madeley who owned Madeley’s Drug at Southside shopping center for many, many years. Laura, Laura, Nancy and Brad grew up going to Madeleys with its soda fountain and short order lunches and the ceiling fan out front The hand crocheted bedspread was made by Mary's Mother. The jewelry came from both sides of the family. The blue crystals were an engagement gift from Robert Roy to Erma Lancaster. Some items on the bed and the dressing table are labeled. Please feel free to look at them. As you have seen, the Lancasters live with memories of family, neighbors and friends. Many who have gone before them. Mary asked me to read you a poem called "Lineage" given to her by engagement gift from Robert Roy to Erma Lancaster. Some items on the bed and the dressing table are labeled. Please feel Bee to look at them. As you have seen, the Lancasters live with memories of family, neighbors and friends. Many who have gone before them. Mary asked me to read you a poem called "Lineage" given to her by Angela Fannin. lt has become meaningful to her. I hope you have enjoyed a tour of the Lancaster home. You may go out the door, here, to the deck and down the outside stairway. There will be someone to help you down the steps if you need assistance. "LINEAGE by Mariam Clark Potter And Sometimes when I have become A quiet portrait on the wall, Will you, my fair descendants, Stop to think of me at all? Suppose your hands are shaped like mine, You have my nutmeg sense of fun, Will there be one to tell you so, There, when my days are done? If you love books, and fires, and songs, And slipper moons on lilac skies, Toss me a look of shared delight, From those, my own dark eyes. For there is kinship in a curl, And keepsake in a spoken name, And wine of life may YET be poured, By hands within a frame. 1995 Historic Homes Tour "The Classics of Early College Station" Clark-Arth Home 305 Dexter Drive Introduction: Dr. Floyd B. Clark and his wife, Ruth, came to College Station sometime around 1915. He was a professor in the Department of Economics at Texas A&M College and later became head of that department. In 1921, Dr. Clark and four other college associates formed the "Southside Development Company" a corporation set up for developing a residential area outside the borders of the college campus. Until this time, members of the college faculty either lived in houses on campus or lived in Bryan, five miles to the north. There was a trolley which ran from the North Gate area along what is now Cavitt Avenue to Bryan. The company purchased 85 acres of land and the development became known as "College Park". An article in the August 30, 1925 Dallas Morning News describes the development and quality of life enjoyed by the residents. Copies are available. Some of the residents who originally built these homes enjoyed long and fruitful lives and were neighbors for as many as 50 years. I would like to tell you a little about the early neighbors on this street. Professor Daniel Scoates and his wife came to A&M in 1919. He came as Head of the Agricultural Engineering Department from Mississippi State and his starting salary was $4,000 per year. The Scoates Agricultural Engineering Building on campus is named for him. He and his wife built their home at 401 Dexter in 1924. .His daughter, Alice, and her husband, Ed Garner, now live next door at 307 Dexter. Alice has the distinction of being one of the first girls to go to A&M. In 1933, the State of Texas was virtually bankrupt. The professors at A&M had to take a 25% cut in salary. If they cashed their paychecks, they had to take another 10% cut. If they could hold their checks until the state was back on its feet, they did not have to forfeit the extra 10%. In addition, the professors were told that their daughters could attend A&M for that one year. Alice was one of 11 11 girls who attended that year. You will see a picture of those girls inside. Alice later graduated from TSCW, now TWU, in music and played the organ in Guion Hall on Sunday mornings. She and her husband Ed, owned the Ed Garner Sporting Goods Store at North Gate, for many years. Ed designed, made, and sold the first A&M baseball caps. He also organized the first Little League Baseball Program in College Station. They later built and operated the Sands Motel for many years. This was the first modem motel built in College Station. The Scoates home at 401 Dexter is still owned by the family. It has been occupied by the Garners’ daughter in law, Winnie and their late son, Danny. Margaret Duncan Mims now lives with her husband, Percy Mims at 501 Dexter. Margaret was also one ofthe first 11 girls to attend A&M and her picture is also inside. Her father, W. A. Duncan, came to A&M from Galveston in 1920 as Supervisor of the Subsistence Department. This department included Sbisa Hall, The original Aggieland Inn, and The Board of Directors Home. Sbisa Hall was the largest dining hall in the world. The newer Duncan Dining Hall and Duncan Drill Field were named for Margaret's father. The late Elsie Duncan Olsen was Margaret's sister. She was married to Pat Olsen, for whom the A&M baseball field is named. The park next to the field is named for Elsie Duncan Olsen. Pat Olsen was a pitcher on the A&M baseball team and graduated in 1923. He later played for the New York Yankees. He now resides at 409 Dexter, and is 92 years of age. You may have seen him on a commercial for the Kettle Restaurant, eating a hot fudge sundae. Pinky Downs was a well known personality who lived at 301 Dexter. You will hear more about him at the Lancaster house. Before the Pinky Downs family moved to College Station, the Ford Munnerlyn family lived at 301 Dexter. Mrs. Lillian Munnerlyn wrote the song "The 12th Man", for A&M and the Consolidated High School Song and the Consolidated High School Fight Song. As you can see, there has been a lot of history on Dexter Street and some descendants of its early settlers still live here. You may now go into the living room and begin your tour of the home of the colorful Clark family. Living Room: This house, built in 1924, is of Northern Gothic design. You can tell the Clarks came to Texas from the northern part of the U.S. The steep roof was built so that it would not hold snow and the many gables and dormer windows provide a New England look similar to Hawthorne's "House of Seven Gables". The downstairs' three main rooms, living room, dining room and library, were built for cross ventilation with windows on each side. There are two fireplaces in the house, one directly above this one in Ann Carolyn Arth's bedroom upstairs. They were built for coal, not wood, and are smaller than most wood burning fireplaces found in Texas. The floors are of six inch pine – as found in the Governor's Mansion in Austin. The Arths bought the home in 1980 and have taken great pleasure in maintaining the historical significance in restoring the house. The fireplace was painted in its natural state. The moire fabric wall covering was added with extra wood molding. The empire couch belonged to the Clark family. Mrs Clark was an avid antique collector, sometimes making trips to New Orleans and other antique centers to buy and refinish antique furniture. Her home was filled with antiques that she refinished herself. Laura Arth, the daughter of Bill and Mary Lancaster, is also interested in antiques and has collected some of her own. The wicker chair and bookshelf belonged to Mrs. Pinky Downs, longtime neighbor and friend in Laura's childhood. The piano was Mary Lancaster’s and was the piano Laura played as a child. The wooden border around the fireplace is called a "fender" and came from England. These were very popular in Britain. The coffee table and two end tables with pink ltalian marble were purchased at an auction by Laura. The out of town auctioneer was intoxicated and was selling everything at a ridiculously low price. Unfortunately, the owner called off the auction and these were the last three pieces sold. The drawing over the piano was done done by Laura's greatgrandmother and you will hear an explanation of it in the Lancaster house next door. Dr. and Mrs. Clark did not have any children but Mrs. Clark's sister, Marie Haines, and her father, Reverend Haines, a retired Methodist minister, came to live in the Clark household. Each of the four residents in this house had very strong and colorful personalities. We will tell you more about them during the tour. Dr. Clark bought a farm to the south of the campus in addition to his share of the College Park property. In 1947, he became opposed to some of the administrative policies of the college and was ultimately terminated from his position in the Economics Dept. He then began to develop a portion of his farm in residential lots that is now called "the Knoll" just south of Holleman. Later, he developed a larger portion of his farm with W.D. Fitch called the "South Knoll" area. The original farm house still partially stands behind a brick fence on Southwest Parkway, east of South Knoll Elementary School. If you would continue to the library you will see an art exhibit of Marie Haines, Mrs. Clark's sister. Library: Marie Haines was a young woman when she came to live with her married sister. She pursued her painting and artistry in a log cabin built by Dr. Clark just two doors down the street. Many people will remember the log cabin that stood until the 1980s when Nancy and Vernon Schneider bought the lot and built a beautiful home there. Marie became a well known Texas primitive artist and is listed in the Benezit Dictionary of Painters, Engravers, and Sculptors as well as Mantle Fieldings Dictionary of American Painters, Engravers and Sculptors. She specialized in childrens’ portraits. At least three of her paintings have hung in the Texas A&M Library. A few of her paintings have been collected here. This painting is of Johnny Lancaster, age seven. There are two paintings of Cynthia Lancaster when she was 13. This painting is of Gathright Hall, the first building on the A&M campus. There is a large painting of Gathright Hall in the Evans Library on the A&M campus, but is in restoration. It is often on loan to art exhibits throughout the state. The painting of the amaryllis lilies belongs to Alice Garner who lives next door. The picture of the Lancaster pet, Louie, is called "The Unwilling Model". This picture is of Kate Foster, a well respected lady who did laundry for people of the neighborhood. The drawing is a local Brazos Valley cotton gin. There are other smaller paintings – all by Marie Haines. The paintings are labeled so please feel free to look at them and ask any questions. The photograph is of the original 11 young women who attended Texas A&M in 1933. Note especially Alice Garner (the center-fold) and Margaret Mims. They are both neighbors of the Arths and Lancasters. As you go out this door and past the downstairs bathroom, feel free to look at the kitchen which has been updated and then to the dining room. Dining Room: Originally, there was a small cellar under the house. Since the soil in this area is not conducive to cellars, it was not used for years. There was a wall built out into this room and a stairway going downstairs. The Arths had the cellar filled in and the wall torn away to utilize the space the width of the stairway to enlarge the room. The built-in china cabinet was originally in the Library, having two walls of bookshelves there. The glass doors had long ago been taken off the cabinets and used as windows on a back porch addition to the log cabin down the street. The Arths were able to retrieve enough doors to replace them on this set of shelves to be used as a china cabinet. In remodeling, the stairway, which had been enclosed, was opened up and a banister built. The dining room furniture was purchased at the estate sale of Mrs. Eleanor Burchard. She and her husband were one of the five original families to develop College Park. Eleanor Burchard lived to be 93 in the pink house on the corner. She died in 1977 and lived 54 hears in her home until two weeks before her death. The l920s dining room furniture was refinished by the Arths. Laura collects the pattern of depression glass "Amethyst Moroccan. The fostoria glassware Laura bought at an estate auction in College Station. She enjoys collecting old glassware and other antiques. In addition to Marie Haines as an artist, Laura also enjoys painting. You will see some of her paintings throughout the house. She did this still life painting at age seven. She also did the two paintings in the front sun room and several in the bedrooms upstairs. You may go up the stairs and turn right into the master bedroom. Master Bedroom: Please come into the master bedroom ---Laura has collected each piece of furniture in this room separately over a period of years. The bed, she bought at the Cavitt Estate Auction in the early 1980's. It is made of walnut and is of Victorian design. The base of the dresser is also walnut and of Victorian design. The mirror, however is of Eastlake design but she uses them together. The burled walnut washstand was purchased from friends, Don and Monie Smith. The unique corner chair was popular before the turn of the century. The small gilded French Provincial chair was bought at the estate auction of a long time neighbor, Mrs. Henrietta Doak. The wardrobe is made of oak. The baby clothes were saved and framed for Laura by her mother. The bedroom that Laura now occupies was also Dr. and Mrs. Clark‘s bedroom. Mrs. Clark, Ruth, was accomplished in many ways. She was quite a horsewoman and had a stable in the back yard. It was torn down only about two years ago. Her horse was named Nellie and she enjoyed riding with friends, especially Mrs. Marsteller and Mrs. Adriance, early residents of College Station. She was well known for her extensive bottle collection. She is particularly remembered for her stance in resisting efforts to drain the lake in what is now Brison Park, across the street. When College Park was first developed in 1921, a dam was erected across what is the beginning of Bee Creek. For many years, the residents enjoyed living around a small lake. The Lancaster children , next door, had a raft on the lake in the 1930's. By 1940, the lake was considered a health hazard because of mosquitos and a decision was made to break through the dam and drain the lake. Mrs. Clark Clark strongly opposed such action to the extent that she sat on the dam with a butcher knife in hand when the operators of heavy equipment came to break through. It took quite a while to persuade her to move so that they could continue with their work. You may continue across the hall into the bathroom-dressing room area. The Arths utilized the attic space under a gable to enlarge the upstairs bathroom into a laundry room and dressing area. Then continue past a small guest room. The oak chest in the guest room was bought from an antique dealer who said it came from a hotel in LaGrange. Laura wonders if it could have had any connection with the "chicken ranch"! Then continue into the bedroom of Ann Carolyn, Laura’s ten year old daughter. Ann Carolyn's room: This room, now enjoyed by Ann Carolyn, was also the bedroom of Marie Haines for many years. The bedroom suite fits the era of the house, for it is of the 1920 vintage. When the house was built, it had no closets, so the very front gable has been converted into a walk-in closet. The armless sewing rocker was a wedding gift to the Arths, the child's chair came from the church where Ann Carolyn's dad belonged as a child in Wharton, Texas and the first-grade school desk was bought in St. Louis, Missouri. The Lancasters bought several of these in l958 and they were used by their children and now their grandchildren. Ann Carolyn is an avid athlete. She plays softball and basketball and swims each summer for the College Station swim team. She has qualified the past two years for the Texas State Games in swimming. You can see her trophies, her ribbons, and medals on her desks. The original Barbie doll belonged to her mother, Laura, and is now very collectable. Unfortunately, her black and white striped bathing suit, in which she is always shown, has been lost. The Barbie doll furniture also belonged to her mother. The glasstopped jewelry case was a graduation present for Laura from her Uncle Jim and Aunt Rose. The antique china doll with the antebellum skirt was a gift from Joe Poteet, whose house was on tour last year. Marie Haines was a young woman when she came to live in this room. She has quite an unusual life story. She pursued her painting career and used the log cabin down the street as an art studio. Fred Burt, a professor in the Geology Department, lived next door with his very possessive Mother. An attraction soon developed between Marie and Fred, but his mother forbade him to pursue his relationship with Marie. She ultimately insisted that they move into Bryan to separate the two. It was generally known in the community that the relationship developed anyway without his mother knowing it. The mother finally died at age 95. Marie was 64 and Fred was 67. They were married and moved to Bennington, Vermont and returned to Texas only once, when Ruth Clark died in l952. Fred and Marie both lived to be past 90 years of age and had many years of happiness together. There have been rumors in recent years, that Marie lived a very "Bohemian" lifestyle and was the mistress of a high ranking official at A&M. But those who knew her would say that she was the epitome of dignity and grace, proper in every sense of the word and waited a lifetime for her happiness. I hope you have enjoyed your tour of the Clark-Arth home. In going down the stairs, please watch your step at the curve at the bottom. You may then go out the back door in the kitchen. 305 Dexter College Station, Texas The Floyd B. Clark Home Historical Significance Dr. Floyd B. Clark and his wife, Ruth, came to College Station sometime around 1915. He was a professor in the Department of Economics, Texas A. and M. College, where he later became head of that department. During his early years in the community, Dr. Clark purchased a farm south of the college campus. This land was later developed into lots and became "The Knoll" and "South Knoll" additions within an area that later became a part of the City of College Station. In 1921, Dr. Clark and four other college associates formed the Southside Development Company, a corporation set up for the sole purpose of developing a residential area outside the borders of the college campus. Until this time, members of the college faculty either lived in the few houses available to them on campus or lived in Bryan, 5 miles to the north. The company purchased 85 acres of land immediately joining the southern border of the campus and developed the first off-campus residential area. It became known as College Park. An article in the August 30, 1925, issue of the Dallas Morning News describes the College Park development. A copy of that article is attached. A lake was formed within the development by damming the upper end of Bee Creek. The first houses were built overlooking the lake that became the focal point of the area. Dr. and Mrs. Clark had no children, but her sister, Marie Haines, and her father, a retired Methodist minister, came to live with them. Marie became a well-known artist and is listed in the Benezit Dictionary of Painters, Engravers, and Sculptors as well as Mantle Fielding's Dictionary of American Painters, Engravers, and Sculptors as a Texas Primitive Artist. She also specialized in children's portraits. At least three of her paintings have hung in the Texas A&M Library. In 1948, Dr. Clark was a candidate for the U. S. Senate. He lost the election to Lyndon Johnson, but maintained his interest in politics and the development of College Station until his death in 1977. Architectural Significance: The house, built in 1924, is of Northern Gothic design. Exterior wall surfaces are covered with 8 inch shiplap mitered at the corners. The steep roof (16 in 12) was popular in the northern states. The many gables and dormer windows provide a New England look similar to Hawthorne’s "House of Seven Gables." Six-inch pine floors, also found in the Governor's mansion in Austin, were restored to their original beauty. There are two fireplaces in the house – one in the living room and one in the large bedroom directly above the living room. The fireplaces, originally designed for coal, are smaller than typical wood burning fireplaces found in most historical houses in Texas. A small cellar, included with the house initially, was filled in during restoration. In restoring the house, the present owner has taken great pleasure in maintaining the historical significance with respect to its age and design. Considerable effort has been made in acquiring period furniture and researching authentic decorating items. For instance, the antique couch in the living room was owned and refinished by Mrs. Clark. It is of Empire design and was made in the l840s. The front sun room and entry way seem to give the house its popular appeal. The curved front porch with it’s carved banister provides a delicate appearance. Social Significance Each of the original four inhabitants of the house had very strong and colorful personalities. Dr. Clark became opposed to some of the administrative policies of the college following World War II. He was ultimately terminated from his position in 1947. Afterwards, he pursued real estate interests through his own company he called Kaskaskia Properties. Mrs. Clark was an accomplished equestrienne and pursued those interests with the wives of other faculty members. She also had interests in antique furniture and did much of the refinishing herself. Her large collection of antique bottles was well known. She is particularly remembered for her stance in resisting efforts to drain the lake in College Park. In 1940, city officials determined that the lake should be done away with for hazardous health reasons. When a dragline appeared on the scene to cut through the dam, Mrs. Clark, with a butcher knife in her hand, sat down in the area where the first cut was to be made. She ultimately gave in and the lake was indeed drained. Marie Haines was young woman when she came to live with her married sister. She pursued her painting and artistry in a log cabin on Dexter Drive in which the Clarks first lived before their house was constructed. Fred Burt of the Department of Geology lived next door to the log cabin with his aged, possessive mother. Mother Burt forbade her son to develop a relationship with Marie. It was generally known in the community that the relationship developed anyway without the mother being aware of it. The mother finally died at age 95. Fred and Marie married soon afterwards and moved to Bennington, Vermont, where the Burts originated in the first place. Marie was 64 and Fred was 67 when they married. They returned to College Station only once after they left. That was when Mrs. Clark died in 1952. Both Fred and Marie lived to be in their 90s and enjoyed many years together. Dr. Haines, father of Ruth Clark and Marie Haines, came to live with the Clarks in the early 30s after he retired from the Methodist ministry. He became known to and was beloved by all those in the small community. Dr. Haines loved to eat at the Aggieland Inn on campus, the only suitable eating in College Station. He died in the mid 1930s. C. W. BURCHARD, RETIRED PROF, DIES TUESDAY C. W. BURCHARD, 72, RETIRED PROFESSOR OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY AT TEXAS A & M COLLEGE, PASSED AWAY LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON IN A LOCAL HOSPITAL AFTER A LENGHY ILLNESS. HE DAME TO A&M COLLEGE IN 1917 AND RETIRED IN 1952. FUNERAL SERVICES WILL BE HELD THURSDAY MORNING AT 10 O’CLOCK IN THE CHAPEL OF HILLIER FUNERAL HOME WITH NORMAN ANDERSON, PASTOR OF THE A & M PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OFFICIATING. INTERMENT WILL BE IN THE COLLEGE STATION CEMETERY. PALL BEARERS WILL BE DR. C. C. HEDGES, D. F. JENSEN , E. B. MIDDLETON, R. D. SNUGGS, M. K. THORNTON, AND H. R. BRAYTON. MR. BURCHARD WAS A NATIVE OF MEADVILLE , PA. HE ATTENDED ALLEGHENY COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL AND HELD DEGREES FROM ALLEGHENY COLLEGE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. HE TAUGHT SCHOOL IN 1903-1909, WAUKESHA, WIS. , HIGH SCHOOL IN 1909-10 AND IN THE SUMMER OF 1918 HE WAS CHEMIST WITH U. S. STEEL CORPORATION. FROM 1912-15, MR. BURCHARD WAS ON THE STAFF OF THE CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, THE KANSAS STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE DEJPARTMENT, 1915-17. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAL CHEMICAL SOCIETY, SIGMA . X I , AND ALPHA CHI SIGMA. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIDOW, MRS ELIZABETH BURCHARD AND A NUMBER OF NIECES AND NEPHEWS. AFTER THE DEATH OF MRS. BURCHARD IN 1977 THE W. B. LANCASTER FAMILY ADDED THE DLD-FASHIDNED COTTAGE TO THEIR COLLECTION OF RENTAL HOUSES. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FAVORITE WITH AGGIE GIRLS. MRS. BURCHARD GAVE US HER INVENTORY OF THE FURNISHINGS OF THE HDUSE ON DECEMBER 31, 1947. (1954) The Burchard House When Dr. and Mrs. Burchard moved to College Station in 1917, there was no residential area near the campus of Texas A&M. There were houses on campus for faculty and the nearest town of Bryan was five miles away. In 1920, Dr. Burchard with four other men, Dr. F.B. Clark, Dr. Daniels Scoates, Mr. R.R. Lancaster and Mr. M.M. Daugherty, formed the “Southside Development Company”. They purchased eighty-five acres of wooded land bordering the south side of the college campus and began the first housing development in what would later become the city of College Station. These five men built the first five houses now located on Dexter Drive. Dr. and Mrs. Burchard built the one nearest the campus, facing north toward the campus. The present address is 800 Aberdeen Place with the side of the house facing Dexter Drive. The original address was 100 Aberdeen Place. The house was built in 1924 and would be considered a cottage type architecturally. It consisted of a small covered front entry, living room, dining room, one bedroom and indoor bath, kitchen and a screened porch on the west side facing Dexter. There was also a detached one car garage with the driveway off Dexter Drive. Later, another bedroom and bath were added, along with a back porch and a one car attached garage. The screened porch was enclosed and made into a sun porch with many windows. The floors were made of “heart of pine” floering and the wood trim was varnished with a dark walnut stain. Dr. and Mrs. Burchaard never had any children and the original bedroom was later converted into a study. After Dr. Burchard passed away in 1954, Elizabeth remained in the house alone until her death in 1977 at the age of ninety, three. She was a graduate of Columbia University, a very courageous and independent lady. In her last years it became harder and harder for her to drive. She employed young men enrolled in A&M to chauffer her. She arranged for certain blocks of time during the week and made her plans according to their class schedules. She made Doctor and other appointments, trips to the grocery store and other shopping trips during these times. She had a group of close friends with whom she enjoyed playing bridge and other social activities. She lived for over fifty years in her home and was in the hospital only two weeks before her death. She was survived by one sister living in Alabama. Attached is a seventeen page typewritten inventory of her complete household goods, including a phonograph needle clipper, 12 oventex ramikens and reserve toilet tissue! After her death, her collections of a lifetime were sold in an estate sale. We purchased her silver tea service, a silver ice bucket, 16 tea cups and saucers, 8 crystal sherbet dishes, an Eastlake mahagony wash stand and an armless sewing rocker. We also bought three pieces of jewelry, a three string pearl necklace and bracelet, and a one strand necklace of clear crystals. They were each twenty-five cents. After returning home, I found a small tag on the crystals which read, “Winfield gave to me, Christmas 1939. Expensive!” Our daughter, Laura Arth, who lives at 305 Dexter, bought the dining table with three leaves, six chairs and matching buffet. We would like a historical marker for this house where the Burchards spent most of their married life, placed in their honor for contributions to Texas A&M and to the beginning of the College Station Community. Pinky Downs’ House 301 Dexter Drive College Station, Texas 77840 This house was built in 1922 by Mr. and Mrs. M.M. Daugherty. Mr. Daugherty was employed by the Agricultural Extension Service headquartered on the A&M campus. The architectbuilder was Clarence Andrews. It was a bungalow architectural design. The original house had a porch all across the front, half of which was covered only with decorative beams, providing a sun porch effect. There was a screen porch on the south side with doors opening into the living room and library-study. The house was built mainly for entertaining since the Daughertys had no children. The living room was connected to the dining room and library-study by double french doors which opened all three rooms into a large entertaining area. In addition, there was only one bedroom, a large bath, a breakfast room and large kitchen. The built-in cabinets in the breakfast room and kitchen had glass doors on the upper cabinets. The yard was landscaped with a concrete curbed garden area and gold fish pond. There were ample water faucets throughout the yard and garden area. The Daughertys left College Station in approximately 1927. The next residents were Major and Mrs. Sloan and their daughter, Chick. He was in the Military and here only a short time. Mr. and Mrs. George B. Wilcox and their daughter, Joanna, bought the house in about 1930. Mr. Wilcox was in the Education Department at A&M and was instrumental in the development of Consolidated School. They later built a house on Lee Street where the Neely Lewis family now lives. Mr. and Mrs. R.S. Miller and son Jack came in 1936. Mr. Miller was a District Agent for The Agricultural Extension Service. They later built a house on Park Place where the Randy Matson family now lives. Ford and Lillian Munnerlyn came in 1939 with their two children, Mary and William Ford, Jr. At that time Mr. Munnerlyn was the newly appointed District Manager of American General Life Insurance Company. Mrs. Munnerlyn wrote the words and music to the song, “The Twelfth Man,” for Texas A&M. She also wrote the Alma Mater “Voices Ring Out To Thee” and “The Tiger Fight Song” for A&M Consolidate High School. They later moved into a house on Lee Street now occupied by Ray Perryman. In 1940, Mr. and Mrs. P.L. “Pinky” Downs, Jr. and their daughter, Josephine Grey, came to live in College Station from Temple, Texas and bought the house from the Wilcox family. Mr. Downs had been in the banking business and when the banks failed during the 1930s depression, his family lost their family money. While still living in Temple he was appointed to the A&M Board of Directors by Governor Ferguson. The new indoor swimming pool built on the campus was named “The P.L. Downs Jr. Natatorium” in his honor. His one request was that the pool be built one foot wider that the Texas University pool! He was offered a position at A&M and held several jobs there in his life including Athletic Department Ticket Director. During his retirement, he became “the official Greeter” of A&M and hosted many visitors and dignitaries on campus. Prior to moving to College Station, Mrs. Downs came from a very wealthy family who employed upstairs maids from Sweden and a male cook who was a graduate from Prairie View. Her family sometimes spent the summer in Canada and she traveled to Europe as a young lady. She attended a music conservatory in Boston and became a Boston Debutante. Their daughter, Grey, won “Miss Texas” in 1936. As this was the centennial year for Texas, she was on display all that summer at the centennial festivities in Dallas and Fort Worth. She later got a movie contract and spent a short time in Hollywood. Mrs. Downs’ brother, Preston Childers, married Lucile Scott, daughter of the original Dr. Scott of “Scott and White Hospital” which started in Temple. They were a very colorful and well known family! Pinky died in 1965 and the daughter, Grey, in 1970. Mrs. Downs continued to live alone in her home until it became necessary for her to be in a nursing home. She died in 1981 at the age of ninety-six. Bill and Mary Lancaster bought the Downs’ home in 1977 and have rented it to male A&M students ever since. Pinky would surely turn over in his grave if he thought girls were permitted to attend A&M. Out of respect for his views, only boys are allowed to live in his home! Through the years, the boys have been very proud to live in the home of Pinky Downs and have preserved its history. dwnshse.010 The Brick House 806 Newton College Station, Texas 77840 George B. and Ruth Wilcox, with their daughter Joanna, bought the house at 301 Dexter about 1930. In 1934, they built a red brick house on the back one-half of their lot for rental property. The lot was three hundred feet deep and this allowed each house the depth of one hundred and fifty feet each. The address is now 806 Newton Street. The short street which runs from Dexter Drive one block east to the Episcopal Church property, curves north and runs one block to George Bush Boulevard, was named by Dr. O.W. Silvey, longtime head of the Physics Department at A&M. He named it for Sir Issac Newton. This is the only house which is addressed on Newton Street. It faces east toward the St. Thomas Episcopal Church property. However, it was built before any of the church buildings. There were two or three houses on Aberdeen. Later when Jersey Street was built, it ran behind these houses. One of the first families to live in the rental house was Dr. and Mrs. John Q. Hayes. He taught in the English Department at A&M. Dr. and Mrs. Carroll Laverty and daughter Penelope were the next residents. He also taught English at A&M. After World War II, Mr. and Mrs. John Edmunds and son Bruce, bought the house from the Wilcox family. Mr. Edmunds was a retired British Army Officer. He came to A&M to teach Physics. Charles and Mary Beth Gandy and son Charles, Jr. bought the house from the Edmunds in about 1953. Bill and Mary Lancaster bought the house in 1968. The original house contained a living room, dining room, two bedrooms, one bath, kitchen and a one car detached garage. At some point, a den room was added to the back of the house and the one car garage replaced by a two car carport with a utility room attached. In 1976, the Lancasters added two bedrooms and bath upstairs. In 1970, the Lancasters began renting the house to coeds as girls began to enroll at A&M with few living accommodations available. In 1971, Rick Perry was the head yell leader at A&M. He was a friend and frequent visitor at 806 Newton that year. The house has enjoyed many coed residents during the past thirty-one years. Many come back to visit from time to time and consider it a historical residence. It now joins the St. Thomas Episcopal Church school which is also a historic home built by Dr. and Mrs. O.W. Silvey. Dr. Silvey lived to be ninety-three.