Email article
Print article
Digg
Del.icio.us
Newsvine
When: 1-5 p.m. May 25
Tickets: $12 in advance available at Paperdoodles, 1401 S. 31st St.; Blue Bonnet Café, 705 S. 25th St.; Callie’s House, 1918 W. Ave. H; and Fountain of Beauty, 2001 S. 57 St.
Gala: “Celebrate the Neighborhood;” 6:30 p.m. May 24 at the home of George and Susan Luck at 1014 N. Ninth St. Tickets are $50 per person.
--
The Todoro Home - 1302 N. Seventh St., Temple
1924: Mrs. Dony Stone purchased the lot or $1,575.
1925: House built by February for $8,236.25.
1925: Sold that summer to Joseph P. Todoro for $9,000
1964: S.L. Brady and wife, Hazel, purchased home for $10,000.
1994-95: Two young couples lived in the home for a short time, making minor improvements to the property.
1997: Barry and Pat Massey purchased the property. A thorough renovation took place before the couple started living there in 1998. The couple’s goal was to keep the original style of the home.
2002: The Masseys took down the home’s original carport and ordered an addition to be built. The original bungalow is in working condition, and landscaping is an ongoing project.
--
The Doering Mansion - 508 W. Monroe, Temple
1913: This Prairie style Chinese Mansion was built by Judge Winbourne Pearce.
mid 1920s: Home was sold to Temple entrepreneur, Frank Doering.
1929: Temple attorney W.O. Cox and wife, Etta May, became the new owners.
1945: Owners were J.E. Johnson and wife, Ruth, owners of Johnson Chevrolet.
1960: Home was occupied by three Scott & White physicians and a local attorney.
1961: Dr. Walter Jarvis, a radiologist, purchased the home and lived there 10 years before selling home to Dr. Clinton Texter.
1975: Judge Joe Caroll and family lived in home.
1980: New owners Dr. Jim and Rachel McManus added a pool.
2000: Dr. James and Lori Dean purchased the home and conducted a renovation.
--
The Fletcher House - 504 W. Nugent, Temple
Construction: This stately brick home was built by Susan Jane and James Fletcher, parents of Omar Fletcher whose home at 1314 N. Ninth St. shares similar features including a distinctive Greek key design.
Design: Primarily Gregorian architecture, the home was designed and constructed by Ernest Scrivener of San Antonio
Interesting note: When the home was built, a 60-year-old family heirloom bell was placed in a concrete pillar outside the home. At some point, mischievous youngsters began slipping onto the property at night to ring the bell. They concocted a story about an old man sitting at the window with a shotgun to shoot anyone who rang the bell late at night. The prank continued for many years.
Current owners: Linda and Wade Knight
--
The Windmill House - 1116 N. Third St., Temple
Construction: The home was built in 1925 by DeWitt and Linnie Morgan Bowmer, the youngest mayor (of Killeen) in the state. DeWitt made the money to build the house by successfully suing the Houston Chronicle on behalf of Governor “Pa” Ferguson.
Design: Dutch colonial. The authentic windmill houses windmill gear that the Bowmers imported from Holland but served no utilitarian function.
Interesting note: In the early 1920s, Mr. Bowmer walked with his family downtown to watch a torchlight KKK parade on Main Street. When asked why he took them he said, “I wanted by children to know that I wasn’t in it.”
Current owners: Betsy and Jeff Howell. They have redecorated and remodeled to preserve its historic charm and meet modern needs.