HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarker Application 101003CO LLEGE STATION HISTORic MA RKER APPHCATI O N
NAMEr ADDR--E~S & i~HONE NUMBER OF SUBMITTER:
__ 1031 Rose Circle
_ College Station: TX 77840
{O7q I ~ ........
A. ~
Structure is a Dwelling
If a home, was it formerly located on campus? _ No
Address of structure: 1210
College Station: TX 77840__
.(Home/Building)
~ (Yes/No)
Owner's Name & Current Mailing Address & Phone Number:
ML and Mrs. John
1210 Munmn Avenue
College ~qtation~ ~ 77840
C9_7~ _606-600_5
This nomination is for:
The title of this subject is: .....
ls the proposed marker to be p on public or private property?
Address where marker will be placed:
L:\GROUP~PARKS~PAMEL^\HtSTORIC\CITYPLAQ%NEWCffiTE.DOC
THE RICHARDS HOUSE
Historical Sign~cance
The RichardS House is one of the earliest homes constructed in the reSident~ area
immediately east of Texas A&M University (TAMU) hq College Station, LoCated at 1210
Munson Avenue in the COllege ~s WoodlandS Subdivision, the lot was p~¢hased by Weldon X.
Hall, Vice President of Hall Lumber Company in Bryarg and ~ wife Frankfie; on De~ember 1,
1948 and built the following year.
The pro~ On which the Richards House was constructed has a long ~ory of
ownerShip, begimxing with Richard Carter who Obtained a league of land (4428 acres) in what is
now Brazos County in 1831 ~. Following ~ death in 18632 and t_hat of~ w'ffe~ 18763, the
property was p~itioned among his children and grandchildren, From the orig~ league, 880.25
acres were given to the children of his deceased daUghter, Mary Ann Reed, and subSequently
partitioned among her grandchildren4.
Two of the partitioned tract~ne of 237 acres and One of280 acres..were eventually
developed into the college Hills WoOdlands subdivision. The 237 acre tract3 which was inherited
by Mary Ann Reed's son, Wiley, was sold in 1882 to James CoOperS; in I893 to Wincentz
Kapczynski6; in 1894 back to Coo~rT; and released to KapCzynski in 19I 1~. In 1911, Cooper
sold it to Horace P. Dansby, Sr. The 280 acre tract was imherited ~ Mary Am Reed's
grandchildren, Mary and Stephen Reed (C~dren of WileY R-ced)9. When wiley Reed's children
reached adulthood; they sold their 280 acres to Claud Mitchell, Mary Rep'S husband, in 189110.
One month later, MitChell sold the tract to Fr~ Vavra~. Vavra built a residence on the property
and farmed it until 1920 when he to Horace Pi Dansby, Sr~. When Dansby died in 1936,
his wife, Minnie, sold 200 acres to J:C~ Culpepperthe following year-the trot being comprised of
part of the 280 acre tract and Part ofthe 237 acre ~t dimusSed above~. In 1940, the College
Hills Company, presid~ over by J:C. CUlpepper; Platted this 200 ~res asa new subdMsion,
called "College ~ WoOdlands," which was situat~ S°mh and east o fthe ~sting College Hills
Estates subdi~Sion~4.'
The deed restrictions drawn up for the College Hills Woodlands in 1940 stated that, (1)
the lots were to be residential lots with a single family dwelling and necessary outhouses,
(2) the building plans and would be approved by a committee comprised three, (3)
the dwellings should not be less than 1200 square feet, (4) the houses should face the street, (5)
outbuildings could not be occupied during construction of the ~ dwelling, (6) a sewer disposal
system should be installed, (7) "no noxious or offensive trade shall be carried on upon any lot or
estate, or shall anything be done thereon which may become an annoyance or mfisance to the
neighborhood," (8) a $2.00 maintenance fee would be assessed for streets and parks, (9)
restrictions would be effective for 25 years only, (10) invalidation of any one restriction would not
invalidate the other restrictions, and (11) an easement of five feet would be reserved at the rear of
each lot.~5.
On September 3, 1941, the College Hills Company sold Lot 72-on which the Richards
House is located in the College Hills Woodlands-to Thomas B. Thompson for $92536. On
September 21, 1948, Thompson sold the lot to Trunmn R. Jones, Jr., for $900~7. Jones conveyed
the lot to Weldon X. Hall on December 1, 1948, for $10~. Hall then with Jones, on
August 1, 1949, to construct a frame house with attached garage for $15,000. On the same day,
Jones conveyed his promissory note to the Hall Brothers Lumber Company, [nc? The house--
which still stands today-was to be built by December 1, 19492°.
Upon con~letion of the house, Hall sold the property to Earl H. Kirk and his wife, Edythe
Stanley Kirk, on April 13, 1950. The Kirks assumed payment of Hall's Deed of Trust note for
$15,300, executed between Hall and the Prudential Insurance Company on Februaryy 4, 19502~.
On April 4, 1955, Kirk sold the property to Earl Brush who agreed to pay the balance of
$19,645.83 on a note dated 7-27-1954 to Bryan Building and Loan Association22. On
September 20, 1956, Lot 72 was sold by EarlBrush and his wife, to Merrell E.
Sutphen and Norma Jean Sutphen for $5,732.91. The Sutphens paid $2000 cash with the
remainder due March 20, 195723 On 10, 1975, Merrel E. Sutphen deeded the property
to Norma Jean Sutphen a divorce dated May 30, 197424. Mrs. Sutphen
remarried on May 24, 1975 to John and they have maintained occupancy since then of
the house at 1210 Munson Avenue.
2
Architectural Significance
The College Hills Company platted the College Hills Woodlands subdivision in 1940 and
cited N.E. Boughton as the developer on the plat map25. However, Lot 72 was not developed
until 1949 when Truman R. Jones constructed the house for Weldon X. Hall. The end-gabled
frmme house contains 2,216 square feet which includes three bedrooms, two baths, a living room,
den, kitchen, and utility room with an attached garage (Figures 1 and 2).
Intrinsic Significance
The Richards House is important as an e~ample of early vernacular architecture in the City
of College Station~ Its builder, Truman P~ Jones, Jr., was a significant figure in the growth of the
College Hills/College Hills Woodlands neighborhoods as well as the development of Munson
Avenue. Having built three homes on Munson Avenue and numerous others the
neighborhood, his homes are a reflection of the economic well-being of College Station dmSng the
postmWorld War II building boom. Mary Louise Moore, a 50+ year resident of Munson Avenue,
states that there were very few homes available for purchase during the war because all the lumber
had gone towards the war effort26. Thus, the flurry of building activity following the war signifies
the first serious growth and development of College Station.
Social Significance
Homes within this neighborhood have traditionally been dominated by TAMU faculty and
staff. John Richards was the Scheduling and Services Manager for the Memorial Student Center,
Rudder Tower, and Koldus Building at Texas A&M University from 1973 until his retirement in
1995. In this position, he scheduled all conferences, meetings, and actMties that took place in
these buildings. In 1975 he founded the AssociationofCollegiate Conference and Events
Directors International which now boasts 1,100 members. Richards is originally from St. Louis,
Missouri, and a graduate of Westminster College is-t Fulton, Missouri. He has two children:
Donna Richards Wmmock of Grapevine, Texas, and Laura Richards Fisher of Katy, Texas.
Norrna Jean "Jeanie" Richards is originally from Eastland, Te~, and during her marriage
to Merrel "Gene" Sutphen was a houSewife, mother, and p~:time associate in her husband's
photography business for 25 years. Her children are Dimm Sutp~hen Watson of Cameron; Paul
Sutphen of San Marcos; LL~ Sutphen Danford of Smetana; and Scott Sutphen of College Station.
Mrs. Richards later worked at Lester's in Bryan for 10 ye~S and at the Mem~l Student Center
Bookstore at Texas A&M for 12 years before retiring.
4
Figttre 1. The Richards House, facing northwest from M~n Avenue.
0
Figure 2. Floor plans of the Richm-ds House.
6
Endnotes
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
1939.
20.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
Brazos 1
BrazoS Corny
BrazoS ~
Brazos 1
Brazos COuntY, Texas;
Brazos County,;
Brazo
Brazos
Brazos ~
Brazos
Brazos County, i
Brazos
Brazos
Brazo~,
5;5~1911.
l Re'rds 99:245, 4-30-1831.
Deed ReCOrds 100:30, 4-7-
lZ2:1998:
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