A dumbwaiter and other curious tidbits

A few Pfeifer-Strauss House tidbits:

Its original purpose: "The house was built by the Strausses with the intention her parents would move in when they got older," says owner Kathryn Griffin. "And so upstairs there's a suite [with] a full bath, and then a long, big long room. And then they turned the dumbwaiter into an elevator when the older couple moved in. ... That to me was the most interesting thing about the house ... They built it for a particular purpose that might not fit the next person."


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Its second appearance on the tour: "One of the reasons I did it was because, there were a lot of things that needed doing and I knew it would prompt me to get it done," Griffin says. "But the other thing is I .... like to encourage people to consider older homes ... instead of building something new."

The year of its construction: "It was begun the year the stock market crashed," Griffin notes. "So to me that it was ... completed is very interesting." It was completed in 1930.

A few Volkmer House tidbits:

Its accompanying building: Catty-cornered to the carport is a small building, with bars on the windows. Owner Nate Coulter says the Realtors'material claimed that according to Hillcrest legend, the building was part of the original territorial jail.

Its decor when bought: When Coulter bought the house, the entire second floor was carpeted in white carpet. He pulled that up to expose the original pine flooring. He had three young children at the time, and he knew that carpet wouldn't work.

Its nonhuman residents: Coulter has waged an unsuccessful battle with pigeons that want to nest there. At one time he put up spikes, but they only served to support the birds' nests, he says.

Its books? As director of the Central Arkansas Library system, Coulter is the city's head librarian, but his house isn't overrun with books. The most notable display is in a second-floor alcove with built-in shelves.

-- Helaine R. Williams

HomeStyle on 04/30/2016

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