D.3.0 - 707 West Mary Street — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION JANUARY 25, 2021 DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMITS PR-20-170732 707 WEST MARY STREET D.3 - 1 PROPOSAL Demolish a ca. 1923 house. ARCHITECTURE One-story, rectangular-plan, front-gabled frame bungalow with a partial-width semi- projecting inset porch on plain square wood posts; single !;! fenestration; decorative vertical boards in the tympanum of the main and porch gables. RESEARCH The house appears to have been built around 1923; the first owners and occupants were Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, who lived here at least through 1960. Eugene Overton had a number of occupations, including car mechanic and general laborer, but his most consistent occupation was as a carpenter. Mattie Overton worked as a cook and maid for private families. They had two sons, both of whom worked as delivery boys during their teenage years while still living in this house. STAFF COMMENTS The house was listed with no priority for research in the Comprehensive Cultural Resources Survey (1984). Staff has evaluated this house for designation as a historic landmark and has determined that the house does not meet the criteria for landmark designation as set forth in City Code: a. Architecture. The house is a very intact vernacular bungalow with artistic flourishes exhibited in the vertical members in the tympanum of both the principal and the porch gable. The house is a relatively common type in Austin, but rarely has this level of ornamentation, particularly in this neighborhood. However, the house does not reflect sufficient architectural significance to warrant designation under this criterion. b. Historical association. The house was the home to an African-American family for close to 40 years. Eugene Overton worked at jobs typical for African- American men at the time, including a laborer for a private family, a mechanic at a car company, and as a carpenter. Further, this house is located in what was once a thriving African-American neighborhood in South Austin, and is significantly larger than the majority of the historic-age homes there. While there are likely not significant enough associations with the Overton family, the house does reflect one of the last vestiges of the old African-American community in this part of South Austin. c. Archaeology. The house was not evaluated for its potential to yield significant data concerning the human history or prehistory of the region. d. Community value. The house does reflect the history of the old African- American community in South Austin that was located along West Mary and West Annie Streets from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, and therefore may have community value as representing the history of the this African-American neighborhood. e. Landscape feature. The property is not a significant natural or designed landscape with artistic, aesthetic, cultural, or historical value to the city.  STAFF RECOMMENDATION D.3 - 2 Encourage rehabilitation and adaptive re-use, then relocation over demolition, but release the permit upon completion of a City of Austin Documentation Package, consisting of photographs of all elevations, a dimensioned sketch plan, and a narrative history, for archiving at the Austin History Center. The house does not squarely meet the criteria for individual designation as a historic landmark.  LOCATION MAP D.3 - 3  D.3 - 4 707 W. Mary Street ca. 1923 OCCUPANCY HISTORY 707 W. Mary Street Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners No occupation listed City Directory Research, Austin History Center By City Historic Preservation Office December, 2020 1959 1955 1952 1949 Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners Porter, Koer Studio Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners Carpenter Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners Carpenter 1947 1944-45 Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners Carpenter Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners Carpenter  1941 1939 1937 1935 1932-33 1930-31 1929 1927 1924 1922 D.3 - 5 James A. and Hazel Overton, owners Laborer Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners Laborer Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners No occupation listed Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners No occupation listed Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners No occupation listed Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners No occupation listed Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners Porter, Thomson Motor Company; Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicles, 201-03 W. 5th Street. Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners No occupation listed Eugene J. and Mattie Overton, owners No occupation listed The address is not listed in the directory. NOTE: Eugene Overton is listed without Mattie and without an occupation at 510 W. Elizabeth Street. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES: Eugene J. and Mattie Overton (ca. 1923 – ca. 1960) Eugene and Mattie Overton appear in the 1920 U.S. Census as the renters of a home at 703 Newning Avenue in Austin. Eugene Overton was 27, had been born in Texas, and was a laborer. Mattie Overton was 29, had been born in Texas, and had no occupation listed. Their son, Vivian, 9 is erroneously labeled as their daughter. The 1930 U.S. Census shows Eugene and Mattie Overton as the owners of this house. Eugene Overton was 38, had been born in Texas, and repaired cars in a garage. Mattie Overton was 39, had been born in Texas, and was a cook for a private family. They had 2 sons: Vivian, 19, a delivery boy for a grocery store; and James, 8. Both boys had been born in Texas. The 1940 U.S. Census shows Eugene and Mattie Overton as the owners of this house, which was worth $1,800. Eugene Overton was 48, had been born in Texas, and was a laborer for a private family. Mattie Overton was 47, had been born in Texas, and was a maid for a private family. Their two sons were listed: James E. was 19, had been born in Texas, and was a porter in a retail men’s clothing shop; and son Vivian, 29,a delivery man for a retail men’s shop is listed with his wife, Ura Lee, 28, who was born in Texas and had no occupation listed, and their son, Vivian, Jr., 8. Also in the household was a nephew, Sammie Books, 20, who had been born in Texas, and was a porter in a rooming house..  D.3 - 6 His 1959 death certificate shows that Eugene Overton was born in Travis County in March, 1896, and was living at this address at the time of his death. He was a common laborer in carpentry and was married. Mattie Overton died in 1971; her last address was 2102 E. 19th Street in Austin. She was a widowed housewife who had been born in 1889 in Texas. Eugene Overton charged with assault to murder Austin Statesman, June 20, 1930 Obituary of Eugene Overton Austin American-Statesman, October 25, 1959  D.3 - 7 Obituary of Mattie Overton Austin American-Statesman, October 17, 1971  D.3 - 8 Sewer connection application by Eugene Overton for this address (1930)  D.3 - 9 Building permit to repair the house (1967) Building permit to repair and remodel the house (1980)