Smith House
a.k.a. Smith-Storey House
322 Scott St., San Marcos, TXAn unusual floor plan that carries through to the exterior appearance makes the Smith House an interesting and significant example of the many forms used in Victorian residences. The southern-pointing wing is set among finely crafted exterior trim that is matched by interior work typical of the period.
Carrie Kone Smith, sister of Judge Ed R. Kone, bought the land in the McGehee Addition, one of the oldest subdivisions in town, from her sister L. Janie Kone Harper. She and her husband Byron Wynne Smith built the present house in 1897. Mr. Smith was a noted cabinet maker. Pieces of his work that remain in the house testify to his skill, although not all the details can be attributed to Smith with surety. Among the many embellishments that make the interior attractive are the crowned bullseye moldings, a carved oak and tile fireplace, wainscoting, and the original, etched-glass, front door. The intricacy of interior detail reflects the many angles and decorative features of the exterior.
Following her husband's death in 1908, Mrs. Smith lived here on Scott Street until 1940, when she died, leaving the house to her daughter, Rebecca Storey.
Bibliography
Interview with Patricia Babcock, May 19, 1982.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
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.