Cool Oasis

The rear garden of Dr. Cooley's residence.
Photo:  Andrea Zucker
Memphis Magazine.

Anyone doubting that Global Warming is upon us has not been to Memphis in the past few miserably hot summers.  A swimming pool is a much-appreciated amenity in this climate, and a particularly refreshing pool is one feature of a house with six landscaped courtyards that is presented in the article "Cool Oasis" by Anne Cunningham O'Neill in the October, 2012, issue of Memphis Magazine.  Although I am friends with the homeowner, John Tackett Design had nothing to do with the property.  My associate Hector Alexander Samada had revamped the garden, however, refining the planting to give more interest to the Brutalist architecture of the house.


The entrance of Dr. Cooley's residence.
Photo:  Andrea Zucker
Memphis Magazine.

At the end of the 1970s, the deep garden of a neo-classical mansion was subdivided, providing four additional building lots along the side street.  The three other houses are typical suburban types, but this one is a complete departure, stylistically, for the neighborhood.  Since this house was built in 1980, the neighborhood primarily of early 20th century houses has been designated as a National Conservation District known as Central Gardens.  Although the house might not fall within the design guidelines for the district today, it is much admired though shielded from the street and is often overlooked, in fact. 


The Great Room of the Cooley Residence.
Photo:  Andrea Zucker
Memphis Magazine.

The house was designed by Memphis interior designer J.O.E. Beck as his own home.  It includes a feature that Mr. Beck often employed, panels of a coromandel screen are hinged to fold open to reveal a bar.  Knowing that, it may be made out in the background of the photo above;  the lamp is on a table at the end of the sofa and the panels are partially open to reveal that the back wall of the bar is mirrored.  A glimpse through the doorway on the right reveals the galley kitchen with the original flame-red cabinets.  The central doorway leads to the entrance hall with a spiral staircase to a second bedroom and the door to the left opens into the master bedroom, giving a clue to the compactness of the plan.

A satellite view may be seen on Bing Maps.  Sorry, I could not get the link right, but you may search the address 684 South Willett Street, Memphis, TN.  The mansion from which this lot came is Beverly Hall, located adjacent at the corner of Central Avenue and South Willett Street.

 

Central Gardens Home Tour 2012

1962 Peabody Avenue, Memphis, as it appears today.
It was built in 1909 for "Boss"  Crump.
Photo by John J. Tackett for The Devoted Classicist.

On Sunday afternoon, September 9, 2012, there will be the 36th annual home tour in the Memphis neighborhood known as Central Gardens.  This year's tour, my fifth for writing the guidebook with the assistance of historian Marsha Hayes, will be unique in that it is a centennial celebration of sorts.  All six houses on the tour are pictured in the 1912 publication ART WORK OF MEMPHIS.  During the tour, there will be an exhibit of the photos of all 41 of the neighborhood houses featured in the book.

1346 Central Avenue, Memphis.

The present clubhouse of The University Club was built from a house also featured in the 1912 book, but later severely damaged by fire.  The charming Arts & Crafts house was once owned by one of Memphis' most colorful citizens, Clarence Saunders, creator of the first self-service supermarket, the Piggly Wiggly.  Later remodelling obliterated the appearance of an English country house except for the added 1934 ballroom where the photo exhibit will be held.  (A later Saunders home, further east, is now known as the Pink Palace, the Memphis Museum;  part of the estate was developed to become Memphis Country Club).

1962 Peabody Avenue, Memphs.

An even more colorful Memphis character was E.H. Crump.  Known as "Boss" Crump, he essentially ran all aspects of Memphis government for the first half of the twentieth century.  His house, dating from his first term as Mayor, is notable for its nods towards classic civic architecture.  The architects were Neander Montgomery Woods and George Mahan, Jr, who became partner of Montgomery Woods' half brother, Everett Woods.

1542 Harbert Avenue, Memphis.

Another Montgomery Woods designed house is in the Arts & Crafts style for which the architect is so admired.  Notably, the house is an early example of an adaptation to the Automobile Age, near the ground with the front door facing the driveway under the "carport" (as it would later be known).  Also of note are the art glass windows, probably from Chicago.

1559 Vinton Avenue, Memphis.

Montgomery Woods most likely was the architect of this house as well, but the records have not yet been found.  In addition to the Arts & Crafts features so often used in Woods' projects, there are Art Nouveau florishes in the pair of newel post lamps that grace the staircase.

1649 Central Avenue, Memphis.

The colossal order portico reminds people of the Old South, but it is, in fact, a feature of the Neoclassical Revival style so popular at the time.  Most of the other details are Colonial Revival, however.

1449 Harbert Avenue, Memphis.

Constructed of an usual dark, mottled brick with charcoal-colored mortar to give a solid visual base to the upper story of textured stucco, this residence is a deluxe verson of the many houses that are a combination of influences of both the Arts & Crafts and Prairie styles that make up the majority of the neighborhood.

267 South Belvedere Boulevard, Memphis.

The sixth house on tour is located on what many consider the city's most beautiful street.  Fittingly, it was built for the boulevard's developer, setting a standard for the houses to follow.  The exterior shows the influence of Arts & Crafts, Prairie and Mission styles, so the grand, carved oak, Baroque Revival staircase comes as a surprise, albeit a pleasant one.

A collection of books on topics relevant to those who own and/or appreciate houses such as these are available at a substantially discounted price from The Devoted Classicist Library.

More information about the 2012 tour may be found at the The Central Gardens Association website.

N. Montgomery Woods moved to the New York City area after a successful career in Memphis, and became a nationally known architect, selling plans for thousands of houses built across the country.  But little is available in Memphis records beyond that.  If anyone knowns more about Mr. Woods, I hope they will contact me.

Central Gardens Home Tour

1785 Harbert Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee.

The Devoted Classicist has been a volunteer committee member for a historic district in Memphis, Tennessee, that holds a Home & Garden Tour each year as a fund-raiser for its many worthwhile activities.  In fact, this is the 35th year for the annual tour which often draws a couple of thousand visitors each second Sunday in September.  The tour is the most organized, well-run, all-volunteer function that one could imagine, and it has been a pleasure to work with this group for several years in a row, now.  Along with truly exceptional neighborhood historian Marsha Hayes, I write the guidebook.  There are usually a half dozen homes on the tour, representative of the mostly early twentieth century houses that make up the wonderfully liveable neighborhood, and this year is no exception.  None of the six houses have ever been on the tour before, and the construction dates range from 1910 to 1925.

1743 Harbert Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee.

This year's tour is Sunday, September 11, 2011, from 1 pm to 6 pm, with $15 tickets available at any house on the tour.  For more information, see the Central Gardens Association website.

Also, a wonderful newspaper article about this year's tour written by Central Gardens resident James H. Roper appears in today's Memphis Commercial Appeal.

A special selection of books that would be of interest to residents and visitors to the Central Gardens Historic Conservation District are available for purchase through The Devoted Classicist Library .  Many of the books would be of interest to early 20th century historic districts, in general, and owners of Arts & Crafts, Craftsman, European Eclectic, and Colonial Revival houses as well.