Catherine (“Cay”) and Nathaniel (“Key”) Kolb moved into the house at 4402 Rawlins in 1964 and in it raised three boys and three girls. They had met in Dallas in 1958 while Cay, who had just graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, was working as a buyer for Sanger-Harris and Key had just graduated …
Author Archives: Tom Morrow
Perry Heights Grocery?
Perry Heights Grocery opened in 1929 just outside the neighborhood down Wycliff on the corner of Hartford boasting of their new refrigeration system. Felix Alfieri was the owner of the grocery which was a two-story building with the grocery on the ground floor and an apartment on the second. The grocery was sold to James …
Save Perry Heights
“Fighting for your neighborhood is just a part of living in this area of town,” said Wendell Patterson, incoming president of the Perry Heights Association, an Oaklawn neighborhood interested in the proposed ordinance. “If you don’t fight, you’ll wake up some morning and find you’re being bulldozed.” February 10, 1986 The proposed ordinance he was …
Gone, but not forgotten
The house was built in 1924 and almost made its 100th birthday. The house will be demolished due to fire and structural damage over the last few years and a new chapter at that address will begin. Luckily, current Perry Heights residents have purchased the lot and will be rebuilding in 2023. However, for close …
The Perry Estate
The first photographed meeting of the Perry Heights neighbors This photo was taken in the dining room of the neighborhood founder and resident, Gordon Perry Estate with what is believed to be the neighbors at the time. The second photo is colorized to show details of the subjects and the room. The Perrys sold the …
The Opera Stars in the Kitchen
If you were lucky enough to get an invitation, your senses would be overwhelmed with garlic, lemons, and sweet oregano while listening to the chic couple talk about their adventures living all over Europe, singing in the most beautiful opera houses, and probably tennis. Plato and Dorothy Karayanis loved to entertain in their condominium at …
Better Together: Perry Heights and Our Heroes
Over the years, the lush, peaceful Perry Heights neighborhood we see today has seen plenty of challenges. As the neighborhood turns 100, it’s good to look back at some of the challenges our neighborhood has faced over the years. From the beginning of our neighborhood in the Roaring ’20s to today, we are celebrating what …
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Marvelously Modern in a 1930’s bungalow
Austin and Chris moved into their 1931 bungalow on Vandelia in 2020 and have already transformed the house into a stylish home. The house reflects the young couple’s fresh sense of style. It’s also a testament to how to retain the charm of the past while still accommodating modern needs. As soon as they saw …
The Collector
Edgar Lee Smith moved into the house at 4415 Vandelia with his mother, Ethel Smith, in 1955 when he was 28 years old. He had just received his MA from the University of Texas after graduating from SMU with his BA. Before he could obtain a higher education, he served in the Navy during World …
Perry Heights Home of Oak Lawn Pioneer
Llora Cullum Pierce moved into this home at 4322 Hall Street in 1924 when she was 59, with her three children after her husband died after two years of ill health in 1923. Her husband was Rev. John Foster Pierce who taught at Southern Methodist University since 1920 after preaching all across Texas in various …