Leport-Toupin House
a.k.a. Hawkins House
503 E. Telegraph St., Carson City (Independent City), NVThe Leport-Toupin House is an architecturally significant dwelling associated with the nineteenth century residential development of Carson City, Nevada. The building is also sigaificant for its association with Alexander Leport, a prominent Carson City businessman. Leport, who was born near Paris, France, in 1837 and immigrated to Carson City in 1866, was responsible for the construction of the East Telegraph Street house in 1879. The structure's design is a simplified adaptation of the Second Empire style! and is distinguished by its bellcast, mansard roof, roof dormers, window cornices, and recessed front door. The dwelling is one of three Second Empire style houses constructed in Carson City during the second quarter of the nineteenth century and is the only Second Empire style dwelling located in Carson City's east side residential district.
The East Telegraph Street house reflects the success of its builder, Alexander Leport. Within two years of Leport's arrival in Carson City, he had established a successful wholesale and retail grocery business. His economic interests soon extended to a Chinese wash house, saloon, restaurant, drug store, barber shop, fruit store, a general mercantile, and stable. Leport was also active in a number of local fraternal organizations, including the Improved Order of Redmen, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Knights of Phthias.
In 1874, Leport purchased a city block in Carson City which included the future site of the Leport-Toupin House. Construction of the dwelling was completed in 1879 in anticipation of Leport's marriage in 1880 to Mary Blavee, who immigrated from France to Nevada in 1879. Mary and Alexander Leport occupied the east Carson City dwelling until Alexander's death in 1885.
Six years later, in 1891, Mary Leport married Edmond S. Toupin, a French-Canadian businessman. Toupin assumed management of the Leport business interests. The Toupin family resided in the Leport-Toupin House until 1907 at which time the dwelling passed to Theodore Perry Hawkins and his wife, Clara. The Hawkins family owned the house from 1907 until 1963.
The Hawkins family played a prominent role in the early development of Eagle and Carson Valleys. The family migrated to Utah from Cleveland, Ohio, in 1851. Following five years in Salt Lake City, the Hawkins family again moved west as part of the Mormon colonization of Nevada. As part of this colonization effort, the Hawkins' were among the first settlers in Genoa (1856) and Franktown, Nevada (1857). The 1857 recall of Mormon settlers by Brigham Young prompted John Hawkins, Theodore's father, to sell his Franktown ranch. The Hawkins family, however, remained in Genoa, Nevada, rather than return to Utah with the majority of Mormon settlers.
John Hawkins, along with his son Theodore, established a dairy near Genoa in addition to maintaining an active interest in the Careys Sawmill in nearby Woodfords, California. Theodore Hawkins, who assumed control of the family dairy following his father's death, purchased the Leport-Toupin House as a retirement home.
Leon Hawkins, an assayer employed at the U.S. Mint in Carson City, inherited the dwelling from his father, Theodore, and resided in the building until his death in 1963. The property was then converted from a private residence to a preschool.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.