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'''1453 Smolian Place''', sometimes called the '''Mattie Turner residence''', is a 4,208 square-foot 4-bedroom, 2½-bath house at 1453 [[Smolian Place]] in [[Birmingham]]'s [[Redmont Park]] neighborhood. The front of the house faces the eastern end of [[Arlington Avenue]].
'''1453 Smolian Place''', sometimes called the '''Mattie Turner residence''', is a 4,208 square-foot 4-bedroom, 2½-bath house at 1453 [[Smolian Place]] (formerly [[28th Street South]] and [[Flora Avenue]]) in the [[Milner Heights]] subdivision [[Birmingham]]'s [[Redmont Park]] neighborhood. The front of the house faces the eastern end of [[Arlington Avenue]].


The home was built in [[1926]] and is recorded as a contributing property to the [[Red Mountain Suburbs Historic District]] on the [[National Register of Historic Places in Birmingham|National Register of Historic Places]].
The home was built in [[1926]] and is recorded as a contributing property to the [[Red Mountain Suburbs Historic District]] on the [[National Register of Historic Places in Birmingham|National Register of Historic Places]].


<!--According to listing agent Lynn Davis of Lynn Russell Realty (who also appears to be the owner), the home was designed by architect [[Joseph Turner]] (1855-1926) for himself and his new bride [[Mattie Turner|Mattie]], and was inspired by houses they visited during their honeymoon trip to Europe. She claims it was built in [[1920]] by [[Robert Jemison]]. (This seems unlikely as Turner was quite old by then and had been married to his second wife for a while already.)-->
The house was originally clad in textured stucco with simple punched openings. The triple arch on the front porch was supported on two spiral columns and a cornice elaborated the edge of the hipped roof.
The house was originally clad in textured stucco with simple punched openings. The triple arch on the front porch was supported on two spiral columns and a cornice elaborated the edge of the hipped roof. At the same time the landscaping was upgraded with limestone steps and walls, a wrought iron gate, irrigation and lighting.


The house was acquired in the late 1980s by a former [[Town & Gown Theater]] performer, who employed set decorators and painters in elaborating the details of the house, enclosing the porch and adding mouldings and balustrades on the exterior, as well as hand-painted murals and extensive plaster wall and ceiling ornament on the interior.
No house was shown at 1453 28th Street South in [[1925]]. It did appear in [[1926]] but was indicated as vacant. [[Thomas Stobert]] of [[Stobert & Naff Realty]] appears as resident in [[1927]], but he died in August of that year. His widow, [[Mattie Stobert|Martha]]<!--Mattie May Stobert, daughter of Marion and Mary Jane Hood May--> (called Mattie) shared the house with their daughter, [[Martha Stobert|Martha Katherine]] until [[1929]]. On [[August 14]], [[1928]] a would-be burglar climbed through a side window of the house, but was scared off without taking anything.
 
In [[1930]] the home was again vacant, but by [[1931]] Mattie had married [[Thomas Wiley Turner]] (half-brother to architect [[George Turner]]) and resumed living in the house. By then Martha had enrolled at Brenau College in Georgia and later married Thomas Paxton Stephens of Coushatta, Louisiana.
 
In [[1936]] Mattie rented out a 2-bedroom apartment in the house to [[Moore-Handley, Inc.]] clerk [[Jack Perkins]] and his new bride, [[Martha Perkins|Martha]]. By [[1942]] she had resumed using the name Mattie Stobert. In [[1949]] she moved to Louisiana to live with her daughter and offered the entire house for rent for $125 a month.
 
Stobert died in March [[1954]]. In April the house was put up for sale with an asking price of $15,000. By October, advertisements claimed that the owner was "leaving town" and "anxious to sell", but the asking price had risen to $15,500. In [[1953]] it was owned by police officer [[Harold Pickle]]. He put it back on the market in February [[1956]] for $15,750, with rugs, draperies and blinds included.
 
The house was acquired in the late 1980s by [[Keith Russell|Keith]] and [[Lynn Russell]]. Lynn, a former [[Town & Gown Theater]] performer and New York ballerina, employed set decorators and painters in elaborating the details of the house, enclosing the porch and adding mouldings and balustrades on the exterior, as well as hand-painted murals and extensive plaster wall and ceiling ornament on the interior.  At the same time the landscaping was upgraded with limestone steps and walls, a wrought iron gate, irrigation and lighting.


Before [[2011]] terra-cotta tile roofing was installed on the visible portions of the hipped roof, along with new copper gutters and downspouts.
Before [[2011]] terra-cotta tile roofing was installed on the visible portions of the hipped roof, along with new copper gutters and downspouts.


The house was sold for $313,000 in [[1997]]. In March [[2023]] it was put on the market with an asking price of $1.05 million, which was dropped to $975,000 in November.
The house was sold for $313,000 in [[1997]]. In March [[2023]] [[Lynn Davis]] of [[Lynn Russell Realty]] put on the market with an asking price of $1.05 million, which was dropped to $975,000 in November.


==References==
==References==
* "Two Homes Entered" (August 15, 1928) {{BN}}, p. 2
* Qualls, Shirley & Tom Dolan (June 28, 1985) "[https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/85002719 Red Mountain Suburbs Historic District]." - listed October 3, 1985
* Qualls, Shirley & Tom Dolan (June 28, 1985) "[https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/85002719 Red Mountain Suburbs Historic District]." - listed October 3, 1985
* Clark, Cara (March 6, 2023) "Million Dollar Monday: Home inspired by European honeymoons, Roman gardens hits market." {{BBJ}}
* Clark, Cara (March 6, 2023) "Million Dollar Monday: Home inspired by European honeymoons, Roman gardens hits market." {{BBJ}}

Latest revision as of 21:56, 29 December 2023

1453 Smolian Place, sometimes called the Mattie Turner residence, is a 4,208 square-foot 4-bedroom, 2½-bath house at 1453 Smolian Place (formerly 28th Street South and Flora Avenue) in the Milner Heights subdivision Birmingham's Redmont Park neighborhood. The front of the house faces the eastern end of Arlington Avenue.

The home was built in 1926 and is recorded as a contributing property to the Red Mountain Suburbs Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

The house was originally clad in textured stucco with simple punched openings. The triple arch on the front porch was supported on two spiral columns and a cornice elaborated the edge of the hipped roof.

No house was shown at 1453 28th Street South in 1925. It did appear in 1926 but was indicated as vacant. Thomas Stobert of Stobert & Naff Realty appears as resident in 1927, but he died in August of that year. His widow, Martha (called Mattie) shared the house with their daughter, Martha Katherine until 1929. On August 14, 1928 a would-be burglar climbed through a side window of the house, but was scared off without taking anything.

In 1930 the home was again vacant, but by 1931 Mattie had married Thomas Wiley Turner (half-brother to architect George Turner) and resumed living in the house. By then Martha had enrolled at Brenau College in Georgia and later married Thomas Paxton Stephens of Coushatta, Louisiana.

In 1936 Mattie rented out a 2-bedroom apartment in the house to Moore-Handley, Inc. clerk Jack Perkins and his new bride, Martha. By 1942 she had resumed using the name Mattie Stobert. In 1949 she moved to Louisiana to live with her daughter and offered the entire house for rent for $125 a month.

Stobert died in March 1954. In April the house was put up for sale with an asking price of $15,000. By October, advertisements claimed that the owner was "leaving town" and "anxious to sell", but the asking price had risen to $15,500. In 1953 it was owned by police officer Harold Pickle. He put it back on the market in February 1956 for $15,750, with rugs, draperies and blinds included.

The house was acquired in the late 1980s by Keith and Lynn Russell. Lynn, a former Town & Gown Theater performer and New York ballerina, employed set decorators and painters in elaborating the details of the house, enclosing the porch and adding mouldings and balustrades on the exterior, as well as hand-painted murals and extensive plaster wall and ceiling ornament on the interior. At the same time the landscaping was upgraded with limestone steps and walls, a wrought iron gate, irrigation and lighting.

Before 2011 terra-cotta tile roofing was installed on the visible portions of the hipped roof, along with new copper gutters and downspouts.

The house was sold for $313,000 in 1997. In March 2023 Lynn Davis of Lynn Russell Realty put on the market with an asking price of $1.05 million, which was dropped to $975,000 in November.

References

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