Historic Tyler on Tour, 2003
SHEPARD HOUSE, 1321 S. College Ave.
In a neighborhood that prizes homes with individual style, this house has more than its share of interesting features. Designed by Architect Shirley Simons as a Mediterranean Villa, this home was built in 1932 for Mr. and Mrs. Sol Katz. Some of the outstanding features of this home are curving arches, stained glass, wrought iron trim and brass sconces. The palladium style windows were among the area’s first of the steel casement type. The Italian tile fireplace mantels reflect the Arts and Crafts movement. The floors are both hardwood and slate. The home contains many unaltered light fixtures and the roof is the original slate. One of the most unusual features is a sunken bathtub in the master bathroom on the second floor. This was unique in 1932 and a specialist came from St. Louis to design and install it.
In 1945 the home sold to J. Paul and Addie Bracken Price. It was just down the block from Mrs. Price’s parent’s house. The Prices held many parties in this house. They lived there for 32 years and then sold the property to their daughter and son-in-law James and Sally Sue Price Fisher. The Fishers lived in it for another 13 years. You can see how loved the house was when one family stayed in it for 45 years.
While the Prices owned the house they enclosed an open porch, turning it into a downstairs bedroom and bath. It is currently used as a den. They also added another bedroom and bath on the home’s second level.
The current owners, Joe and Sandy Shepard, have owned the house for 23 years. They have maintained it and updated it, retaining its original ambiance. The Italian Tile fireplaces were the inspiration for the home’s color scheme. Sandy turned a linen closet into a beautiful wet bar and modernized the kitchen. They have removed a wall to open the poolroom into the family room. The back yard has been redesigned and landscaped to create a lovely outdoor living space. One of their favorite spots in the house is looking out of the bowed windows of the original breakfast room into the back yard.
This home has a long history of joyful entertaining, and we wish to thank the Shepards for sharing it with us.
