Tour Homes

Celebrate Highland: A Holiday Home Tour

Tour Homes- Information from Highland Historian Sue Ball

sATURDAY cANDLELIGHT tOUR,
dECEMBER 5, 5 P.M.-9 P.M.

555 Herndon- Noel Mansion
The Noel Place is one of the oldest in the neighborhood, built in 1896 by James S. Noel. Mr. Noel was a well- to- do planter and merchant whose family was prominent in Caddo Parish in the late 19th and early 20th century. It is one of the finest of the surviving Victorian homes. The large two-story house was beautifully appointed and had not only a floored attic, but a full basement, a rarity in Shreveport and the south. The mansion sat in the middle of a large estate and remained in the Noel family for almost a 100 years. Today the house looks much as it did when Mr. Noel lived there with one notable exception. The immense pitched roof now has several solar panels installed. Current owners are Bruce Allen and Kristie Hanna. While the home is their residence, it also houses their dance studio and is a powerful testimony to how historic buildings can be used for other purposes than strictly residential without losing their integrity.

902 Robinson- Bliss-Hoyer House

In 1912 planter Abel Bliss built this large craftsman-style house. Later he sold the house to Ewald Max Hoyer, a former mayor of Bossier City. You will notice wings, added by more recent owners. The current owners are Jerry and Arlena Acree and they report that they have never encountered the lady ghost who is alleged to also call the structure home. The Acrees' eclectic taste is evident throughout this beautifully furnished home. In addition, it has a "history room" containing some very interesting artifacts both given to Mrs. Acree by noted local collector J. Frank McAneny and collected by her.

2611 Fairfield-designed by architect Edward F. Neild*

This house was built in 1911 by physician and real estate developer G. W. Robinson and is a fine example of eclectic Edwardian Arts & Crafts.The original roof was of Spanish barrel tile. It was Dr. Robinson who renamed Fifth Street, which ran beside his property, to Robinson Place. This house contains absolutely stunning woodwork. Above the landing of the curving stairway is a large stained glass window featuring dogwoods which was commissioned from Tiffany's in New York. The house had been empty for quite some time when purchased by Charles and Nita Acklen. The two have done extensive renovations and are currently restoring the large gardens on this one-half acre tract.

856 Wilkinson- Tremendously Tudor
Julie Payne and Slattery Johnson own one of the few Tudor-style homes in the Fairfield District. Built in 1927 by architect Seymour van Os, this large Tudor Revival house has been largely untouched over the years and retains most of its original charm. Features include a massive barrel arched front door, magnificent staircase, black gum millwork, original cupboards and windows in working condition and gorgeous white oak floors throughout. Julie and Slattery Johnson are proud to be only the third owners of this remarkable home. Visitors may recognize it as the Pi Epsilon Delta sorority house from the movie, "The Initiation of Sarah," starring Morgan Fairchild and Jennifer Tilley.

804 Wilkinson - The Davis Home Place

This four-square was built in 1916 on the corner of Line Avenue and Wilkinson when Line Avenue was little more than a dirt street. It has always been known as The Davis Home Place and remained in that family until very recently, when it was purchased by Terry and Marsha Gill. Terry and Marshad have restored it to very much its original appearance both inside and out and one definitely gets the feeling of how life was in Shreveport in the early 1900s. One of its more popular features is the upstairs sleeping porch. Built at a time when air conditioning was not even dreamed of, this house has tall windows for cross ventilation and tall ceilings to allow for free circulation. Afternoon lemonade or tea was served on the wide-front veranda and spirited badminton or croquet was played on the adjoining side lawn. During both World Wars I and II, the Davis family opened their home for social events for military personnel stationed in the area.

2102 Southern Avenue- Converted Southern Ave. Grocery Store
This 1920s-era Italian-owned grocery was a neighborhood grocery store and sandwich eatery until the 1980s when it closed its doors. It feel into disrepair and was in danger of becoming a historical footnote but was rescued in 2005 and given a new lease on life. A massive restoration ensued and the old grocery store became a new & trendy flower shop. It closed again a brief time later and sat vacant until 2007 when Liz Swaine and Steve Culp purchased the old girl and converted this 3400 square foot two-story plaster-walled lass into a funky residence that feels more like downtown New York City than uptown Fairfield Avenue. Don't miss the to-die-for 'Garden Shed' out back, which for tonight only will be converted into a "Holiday Garden Retreat".

425 Dalzell- Amazingly Arty Foursquare
Be prepared to gawk upon entry into Pam & Bob Atchison's Foursquare in the heart of Highland. The home sports original wood floors and soaring ceilings, all the better to display Bob & Pam's eclectic collection of art. Paintings, sculpture, wall hangings and color all combine to make this home one that takes multiple viewings before you'll see everything there is to see. Be sure to check out the folk art "Bottle Tree" in the front yard which has a decidedly artistic twist.

* Edward F. Neild was among the architects for the Harry Truman White House reconstruction. Neild was chosen for that and other high-profile projects because of the work done in Shreveport (most notably the Caddo Parish Courthouse) in the early-to-mid 1900s. Neild died in 1955 while working on a design for the Kansas City Club.

sUNDAY tOUR,
dECEMBER 6, 1 P.M.-5 P.M.

3101 Fairfield Avenue- Randle T. Moore Center
One of the 'grande dames' of Shreveport architecture, the Randle T. Moore Center was donated to the city of Shreveport in 1968 by the Moore Family as a way to preserve this beautiful southern-city heritage. The home was built by oilman Randle T. Moore in 1924. The Colonial Georgian originally contained twelve rooms, six bathrooms and 8 fireplaces. The front door is flanked by side lights and opens into a spacious foyer dominated by a curving stairway. The large living and dining rooms have high ceilings, crown molding, tall windows, and hardwood floors. There is also a cozy wood paneled study off the living room. Off the stairway landing there is a marvelous curved sunroom that features an imposing, glittery chandelier. The upstairs rooms are large,airy and have the same crown molding and hardwood floors as the downstairs. The beautifully-restored Moore Center will be the kick-off point for the Sunday tour and will feature complimentary coffee from Columbia Cafe and homebaked cookies as well as live music by Madeline and Leonard Efferd. You may leave your car and pick up the shuttle at this or any of the houses on the tour.

1029 Sheridan- Foursquare Revival
Rose and Mike Davis are relatively new to Shreveport, moving to the area from Los Angeles to work in the movie industry. The Sheridan foursquare was renovated shortly before Rose and Mike purchased the house, but the two realized much of the work that had just been done could have been done better and set off to do just that! Their home shows how well the foursquare can be converted into an open floor plan to show off art and color in creative ways.

2102 Southern Avenue- Converted Southern Ave. Grocery Store
This 1920s-era Italian-owned grocery was a neighborhood grocery store and sandwich eatery until the 1980s when it closed its doors. It feel into disrepair and was in danger of becoming a historical footnote until it was rescued in 2005 and given a new lease on life. A massive restoration ensued and the old grocery store became a new & trendy flower shop. It closed again a brief time later and sat vacant until 2007 when Liz Swaine and Steve Culp purchased the old building and converted this 3400 sf foot two-story plaster-walled lass into a funky residence that feels more like downtown New York City than uptown Fairfield Avenue. Don't miss the to-die-for 'Garden Shed' and rock garden pergola out back, which will be included as a "Holiday Garden Retreat".

1080 Dalzell- Magnificent Georgian
When Roderick & Lashondia Range & family purchased this house, it had met the fate of many Highland jewels...the ravages of time, vacancy and vagrants had taken their toll. The big yellow foursquare situated on a large corner lot at Kiber and Dalzell retained its elegantly graceful exterior, its beautifully-tiled sunroom and exquisite maple floors when the Ranges purchased it, but little else. After extentive repairs to the house and gardens, the home is warm, lovely and imminently liveable. This is a wonderful example of the incredible architecture available in Highland for those willing to do the work neccesary to live in a true showplace.

853 Robinson- Victorian Cottage

The house built by the McAneny Family in 1904 is a late example of a Queen Anne cottage. While various owners have altered the interior from its original appearance, the exterior looks very much as it did in 1904 with a curved front porch and imbricated shingle work. Current owners Dan and Lisa Marcalus are relatively new to Shreveport but have jumped into the Highland scene in a big way, serving on "Better Shreveport" committees and becoming active in the Highland Restoration Association. This is the first Highland renovation for the pair. They fell in love with the neighborhood when they moved to town and have purchased and renovated several Highland homes.

549 Wilkinson- Foursquare with Cottage

This modified foursquare was built around 1919. The home was totally renovated by current homeowners, Ricky and Teresa Edgerton in 2001 with care taken to preserve the structure’s ‘old-fashioned’ feeling. One downstairs room was turned into an impressive library for Teresa. It features a turn of the century library ladder that glides around the room on the bookshelves. The home is furnished in a combination of family antiques and ‘trash to treasures’ repurposed by Ricky. A large tree decorated with old family ornaments occupies the foyer each Christmas, and a plate rail in the music room features Ricky’s collection of vintage Christmas record albums. Porches make a home inviting and that is certainly true for this home! There is a front porch typical of Highland foursquares, a glassed-in Florida room downstairs, a screened sleeping porch upstairs across the back of the home, and a deck and patio attached to a guest cottage in back. The guest cottage was probably constructed at the time the house was built, but it was made of recycled leftovers, giving it a very unique look. The walls are recycled bead board hammered into place with square nails. Teresa and Ricky use the cottage as a party house, a place where visiting friends and family can stay, and a refuge from hurricanes for New Orleans friends.

3002 Wheless- Craftsman Bungalow

This remarkably-preserved bungalow (in spite of years of neglect prior to current ownership) has a strong oriental character with its wide overhanging eaves curving upward to form a low pitched front gable. Brackets and struts ornament the gable eaves.The brick porch beneath has a thick brick pier at each corner rising to the roof line. Between is a screened porch with a round arch design in wood. Extending fropm the top of the arch to the roof are a series of vertical members. Surprisingly, the original windows remain and have been restored. As is usual with this style of house, the interior features much woodwork andhardwood floors. Current owners Cody and Natalie Peek bought the house at auction with the intent of restoring it and then selling it. Instead, when the time came to sell, they found that they could not leave the house. That decision is our gain, and we are thrilled to be able to show this house on tour.

Celebrate Highland
c/o Highland Restoration Association
520 Olive Street
Shreveport, LA 71104
contact@highlandrestoration.org

Main Navigation