Article by Carter Seaton
Photography by David E. Fattaleh Some are old, some new, some have tarnished over time, some have been
polished to a new luster, and some are for sale. One is Italian Revival,
one contemporary; several are reminiscent of the old South, but all made
Huntington Quarterly’s Top Ten Homes list. Granted, there are dozens,
even scores, we could have chosen, but the HQ staff selected these. And
they are… 
#10 – The buff brick colonial along Ritter Park’s perimeter
is one of three built in the 1920s by the Campbell-Cammack family. We
could have chosen any of them – the Tudor stone to the west of
Bennie Breece’s residence or the white brick to its east, which
is the home of Marshall University’s president – but the
stately pillars, curving staircase, and double side porches at 1030 13th
Avenue captured our vote. 
#9 – This somewhat newer colonial nestled amid two and one-half
thickly wooded acres on High Drive was also transformed from red brick
to buff when Bob and Mary Jones purchased it in 1982. Surrounded by ten
towering oak trees, the southern style mansion – appropriately
named “Ten Oaks” - uses floor-to-ceiling plantation windows
to take full advantage of the view from its natural setting above Washington
Boulevard. 
#8 – A double stairwell, tile fireplaces, extensive oak paneling
and a port-cochere are hardly details one expects in a convent. Yet,
the current residence of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Lowe on McCoy Road once
housed fifty sisters of the Pallotine Missionary Order. The massive stone
home built in 1910 for owner C. L. Ritter provides a commanding view
of the park that bears his name and is now a graciously renovated reminder
of bygone days. 
#7 – When Jim and Mickey St.Clair undertook restoration of the
250-acre Freeman estate on McCoy Road they uncovered modern innovations
unique in a 1912 mansion. Fully electric - at a time when that was rare,
it also features an intercom system, gas-heated clothes drying cabinets
and walk-in closets. Now the steel, poured concrete, brick and stone
home showcases Mickey’s lovingly renovated woodwork and grounds,
as well as two of its original furnishings: an Oriental rug and the hall
chandelier. 
#6 - Jack Jenkins’ Ridgewood Road home is a testament to early
1900s gracious living. Built in 1910, and restored in 1965 by Jenkins,
the all-concrete home features Neo-classical detailing inspired by an
English manor near London called “Kenwood.” Inside, the coffered
ceiling in the living room rises above a massive fireplace decorated
with a family crest, the paneled stairwell rises to a third floor ballroom,
and through the upper stained glass windows the city of Huntington sparkles
each night. 
#5 – Despite the fact that this is the newest home on the list,
the residence of Dr. Lawrence Dunworth in Park Hills looks as if it has
always been there. Beyond the wrought iron entrance-gate a cobblestone
driveway circles the ornate imported fountain. Hidden by extensive plantings,
the chateau-style home features extensive formal gardens that slope gently
into rolling lawns. Inside, a curving concrete staircase leads to the
upper floor while a lap pool occupies a portion of the lower. The stucco
exterior walls and barrel-tile roof are more reminiscent of Tuscany than
of Huntington, but that’s the look that got our attention. 
#4 – It’s as contemporary as the others are traditional,
but this fifteen-room mansion has features as unusual as any we’ve
seen. From copper doors and a live palm tree in the atrium, from a full-sized
racket-ball court to an indoor/outdoor swimming pool with overhead sliding
panels, the solid redwood home of Dr. and Mrs. Craig Morgan on Camelot
Drive is a distinctly modern architectural residence. And yet, the four-level
house has a warm and welcoming charm that softens its angular lines. 
#3 – Old-wood logs are the most distinctive feature of this long,
low home across Four Pole Creek near 5th Street W. Originally on the
old James River Turnpike, it was built as a hunting lodge in 1911. An
English Tudor addition in 1914 increased its size to over 6000 square
feet. Years ago, a boathouse sat on an adjoining lot that is no longer
part of the estate. Add local cobblestones in the walls and chimney,
secret passageways, two acres of land, a lily pond and botanical gardens
and you have the ultimate in log cabin living. 
#2 – In 1926 S.W. Patterson situated his palatial Italian Revival
style residence on three acres in the east end of Huntington with a sweeping
view of the Ohio River. Today, nearly hidden behind the trees separating
it from Staunton Road, the estate of Dr. and Mrs. Hossein Sakhai seems
to include the neighboring river. The painstakingly renovated and restored
arched entries, French doors, triple vaulted ceilings and black marble
fireplaces retain the old world charm of this still-palatial home. The
manicured lawn, weeping willows and fountain enhance the feeling of a
seaside villa. 
#1 – Although the grounds surrounding the estate are a fraction
of the original plot on which Edwin P. May built this handsome English
country home in 1930, the house on High Drive still stands as a stately
reminder of the past. The imposing castle-like exterior belies modern
technology rare for its time - buzzers sound when any doorbell rings
and warning lights come on when any light is left burning. The lavish
scroll ceilings, antique crystal chandelier, hand-painted wall murals
and gold faucets quickly re-establish the impression of being a home
meant for royalty, however. |
