368. Crawford-Hanes-Watkins House (FY 969)

 
This two-story frame house is another example in the West End of the numerous early twentieth century dwellings which combined late Victorian irregular massing with Colonial Revival detailing, The simple but handsome house has a roof with pedimented shingled gables, a projecting left front bay, and a wrap-around porch with slender Tuscan columns and a turned balustrade. In recent years the house was sheathed in aluminum siding and the porch was extended on the NE side to form a porte-cochere, but these changes have not adversely affected the overall architectural quality of the house.

Robert R. Crawford purchased the property in 1905, and by 1908 the city directory listed him at this location. He was vice-president of Crawford Plumbing and Hill Supply Company He sold the property to George F. Dire in 1908, but the following year Dire sold it to Alexander s. Hanes, who was president of Shamrock Hills and of the Hanes Rubber Company and vice-president of the Reality Exchange. He and his wife, Mary Robinson, occupied the house until 1924, when they sold it to William H. and Gloraine Watkins of Watkins Book Store. The Watkins family remained the owner-occupants until 1965, (OS, CD, TR, SM)