“A Century of Classics”

The byline to this year’s Park Cities Historic & Preservation Society home tour summed up the tour.  One home was the oldest home in Highland Park, and another home was the oldest home in University Park.  You do not get much more historical than that.  Truly this tour could be called “A Century of Classics”.

Here is the deal.  We couldn’t take pictures inside the homes, so I can just show you pictures of the outsides of the homes.

Yeaman Home

The Yeaman Home is located on Amherst in University Park in an area known as “Cultural Gulch”.  (It is said that Texas folklorist J. Frank Dobie coined the term “Cultural Gulch”.)  This home is certainly different than many of the other Park Cities homes in that it was completed in 1951.  The style is known as “modern regionalism”.  (I thought it might be called mid-century modern”.)  As we drove up, we wondered???  “Well, we are here, we might as well go in.”  And were we glad we did.  Erika Yeaman is a talented interior designer, and she skillfully mixed modern designs with antiques.

Wise Home

The Wise Home is the oldest remaining home in University Park, and it is impressive.  It was built between 1914 and 1916 and was first owned by Bishop Edwin DuBose Mouzon, who was one of the founders of Southern Methodist University and Highland Park United Methodist Church.  Throughout the years this home has been a fraternity house, a sorority house, and even a boarding house.  It is amazing that this home has survived.

The Wise family bought the home in 1962, and it is still occupied by family members.  In 2012, a two year renovation was completed, and it is elegant.

I love the apartments by the pool.

Why are flowers in the Park Cities always prettier?  They look great against this gorgeous fence also.

Albritton Home

Next door to the Wise home is an unpretentious Cape Cod style home that was built in 1929.  The bricks on this home were hand chipped.  Three generations of the Albritton family have occupied this home.  The outside of the home retains its original charm, but inside the decor is filled with folk art from Mexico, and the art makes for interesting comments.

Royall Home

The Prairie Style home on Lexington was built in 1907, and it is the oldest extant home in Highland Park.  Lexington was the first developed street in Highland Park.  This home is amazing.  It is filled with furniture and accessories from the Arts and Crafts movement, and it is like walking through a museum.  Many of the items are original, but others are high-end reproductions.

Even the furniture on the patio is in the Arts and Crafts style.

You can see the detail in the fence and fireplace.

Again, the flowers grow better in Highland Park.

Sean Royall is proud of his Texas heritage.  His great great great grandfather was Richard Royster Royall who was the first president of the provisional government of the Republic of Texas in 1835.  Outside the side gate is a bronze of William B. Travis drawing the line in the sand at the Alamo.  Nice!

It was a beautiful day, and we enjoyed the homes.  I would agree that these were “A Century of Classics”.

Blessings to you and yours,