1909 Decatur, McEvine house

This virtually intact Gulf Coast Colonial cottage was built in about 1873 by John Bonie.  Caroline McEvine, the wife of Edward T. McEvine, bought it in 1874.  Like the house behind it at 1904 Kane, it has two front doors to maximize cross ventilation in the days prior to electricity.  This house is an excellent example of a local vernacular modification of the Acadian Cottage that was popular in western Louisiana.  Although early birds-eye maps of Houston show hundreds of Gulf Coast Colonial cottages scattered throughout the city, fewer than 20 survive today; most of them are in this neighborhood.

E. T. McEvine worked as a machinist in the H. & T. C. shops.  He and his wife lived at 1909 Decatur until about 1883, when they moved across the street to the northeast corner of Decatur and White.  1909 Decatur was bought in 1925 by Frank and Theresa Hutton, who lived for many years at 1920 Kane.  During their ownership the house was rental property.  It remained in the Hutton family until 1993.

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