Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on the Request by Ceilidh Charleson-Jennings for Approval of a Historic Marker for the House Located at 604 Heard Street
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Enhance the Quality of Life in Downtown McKinney
MEETING DATE: April 7, 2022
DEPARTMENT: Development Services - Planning Department
CONTACT: Paula Jarrett Nasta, AIA, Planning Manager
Jennifer Arnold, AICP, Director of Planning
RECOMMENDED HPAB ACTION:
• Staff recommends approval of this Historic Marker Application.
ITEM SUMMARY:
• The owner of 604 Heard St has requested the award of a Historic Marker for the 1895 Queen Anne Victorian House and property.
• The house is listed as a high priority building in the 2015 Update of the Historic Resources survey. A high priority building contributes significantly to local history or broader historical patterns; is an outstanding or unique example of architecture, engineering or crafted design; retains a significant portion of its original character and contextual integrity; meets in some cases, criteria for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places and/or is eligible for a Texas Historical Marker.
• The house stands in the historic overlay district and HNIZ.
• The Talkingtons and their descendants owned the home until 2003. They lived in the main house well into the mid-20th century at which point the main house was rented out while the owners lived in the additional unit to the northwest.
• HISTORY OF THE HOUSE:
The house at 604 Heard St was constructed in 1895 for Leonidas (Lee) M. and Margaret Rector Talkington in the Queen Anne Victorian style. The house is a center passage plan with gable and hipped roofs. Mr. Talkington along with his sons Charles Isaac “Ike”, a local builder, and Nathaniel built the house.
Like many of historic houses, adaptions and alterations were made to the house as the owners needs evolved.
o A stable and two chicken coops were located north of the house in 1908.
o A cottage for Ike Talkington, once located on the northeast side of the parcel, was demolished in 1920.
o The tornado of 1948 dropped a tree on the front section of the house. The repairs included the introduction of the Greek revival pediment at the front porch, simple columns, and conversion of the house into two apartments.
o In 1952, Florence Talkington Warden had a second dwelling unit constructed on the west side of property in a folk Victorian style. She lived in this while renting out the main house.
o In the 1950s, two rear porches were enclosed to expand the kitchen.
o In the 1980s, the turned porch posts were restored as was the porch railing and the gingerbread trims. Existing spandrels were used as models for additional restoration pieces.
o A detached garage was constructed to the rear of the property in the early 2000s in a similar folk Victorian style.
o A wood pergola was added to the back of the home in 2010.
• Historical Figures of Texas associated with this house include:
o Lee Talkington, McKinney Pioneer and the initial homeowner of 604 Heard Street, helped found one of the first schools in McKinney. He served as Collin County Treasurer in 1888.
o The home was constructed by Lee with help of his son, local builder, Charles Isaac “Ike” and his brother Nathaniel.
o Ike Talkington, son of Lee and Margaret, was a local contractor who worked on the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas and the Mississippi Store in McKinney.
o Josie Talkington married Walter B. Wilson, the co-owner of the McKinney Courier-Gazette. Walter Wilson was credited with pulling the first living victim from the Mississippi Store collapse. He also served as Collin County Postmaster, President of the Chamber of Commerce, and as a school board member for 30 years.
o Josie Talkington Wilson was an active member of both the First Methodist Church and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Spanish American War Veterans.
o Josie Talkington Wilson briefly helped manage the Courier Gazette after the death of her husband Walter in 1939.
o Florence Talkington married James H Warden, the son of Collin County Sherriff Warden.
o Josie and Florence were both writers for the Courier Gazette. They used pseudonyms.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
• The historic marker is one of the requirements for the Marker Level incentive of the HNIZ program.
• Under Ordinance 2022-03-036, if the HPAB approves the Marker, the applicant will be responsible for purchasing and displaying the Historic Marker.
ASSESSMENT:
• Staff believes that the applicant has met all the requirements to obtain a Historic Marker under the Historic Neighborhood Improvement Zone Program (Ordinance 2022-03-036). Therefore, Staff is recommending approval of a Historic Marker for 604 Heard Street.