Historic Tyler on Tour, 2003
CARROLL HOUSE, 1819 S. Chilton Ave.
In 1948 Sol Edelman had this Austin Stone home designed by Homer Lansberry and built by Harry Oliver, Jr. The house originally had a radiant heat system, which heated the floors by means of hot water pipes underneath the floors.
In 1959 Will Mann and Gertrude Richardson purchased the home. They enlarged and remodeled it, enclosing a back porch and garage, creating a bedroom and sitting room. This addition had a “secret door” that delighted the Richardson children. When the door was opened it would spring out of a paneled wall, surprising anyone who did not realize a door was there.
A touch of whimsy graced the floor of the library. The hardwood floors were originally covered with linoleum. In the center of the room was an inlayed picture of an intoxicated man leaning on a lamppost. Mrs. Richardson covered the picture with an oriental rug so no one knew it was there. When the Carroll’s bought the home, they had the hardwood floors refinished, but they liked the picture of the man so much they rescued it and had it framed. It now hangs on the wall of the library.
When Otis and Claudia Carroll purchased the house in the fall of 1989 they made some changes of their own. The sitting room with the “secret door” became their bedroom and a small bedroom was converted into a master bath. They removed part of one of the original outside walls of the house to open the kitchen into the family room that had served as the enclosed porch, creating a wonderful family living area.
In 2002 the Carroll’s redesigned their back yard. They had a pool and wonderful Hill Country style pavilion designed by Larry Martyn and constructed by Burt Ford. It is built of Austin Stone to match the original house. An outdoor fireplace and built-in cooking area are highlights of the new pavilion. The Carrolls now find themselves living outside in most weather. Casey Brownlow of Wilhite Landscaping designed and installed the garden area.
Another part of this remodel was restyling the fireplace and adding media cabinets in the family room. They also removed some cabinetry from the family room and reused it in a studio/office created from an extra bedroom. A door was added from the family room into the new office.
Otis and Claudia Carroll invite you to share in the warmth and beauty of their home.
