Diedrich Rulfs did not build a home for his family until the 1890's To the east of of his office which is located at 113 South Lanana across the street to the north of the Sterne Hoya Library. The house was demolished in the 1960's to make way for a "Car Wash". It possibly stood at 1410 East Main where.
In Jere Jacksons' book "Diedrich Rulfs, Designing Modern Nacogdoches" Jere stated " In an interview in 1974 with Mary Stewart Duncan (Rulfs Niece) described the Rulfs home as "Unique not looking like anything else in town". The house had a two story tower in the center,
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| Picture taken from the internet to help reader envision what the front of the house possibly looked like. |
The Second Empire Style Mansard roof,
a front porch with intricate detailing and wrapped around from the north to the east, A Chamfered front door, and a complicated and untraditional floor plan.
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| Chamfered front door |
Rulfs possible built to foster and encourage interest in current styles; and while his efforts did not produce a trend, he used certain elements of the house in a Varity of other houses across the town."
(Diedrich Rulfs, Design of Modern Nacogdoches by Jere Jackson, Published 2014, pg. 65)
This is a picture of Diedrich Rulfs Standing on his front porch holding his Grand Daughter Helen
I located this in the Diedrich Rulfs papers at The East Texas Research Center. No idea of its origins but it may be the only picture known of Diedrich Rulfs Home.
In my opinion the lot below located at 1410 East Main best fits the description given from the paper above.
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| If you look at the location of the lot in reference to the crest of Main St. on Orton Hill you will notice that this is the first lot that is level, and a lot of excavation would not have had to be done to establish a foundation. |
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| This is also a corner lot facing north east. which would have made sense from the description of the porch wrapping around the North and east side of the front of the house. Also observe the brick columns in the front. They look much older then the current house located on the lot. |
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| There are a set of brick columns on the east side of the lot as well which easily could have lead to an entrance on the east side of the wrap around porch. |
the speculation while fun to do is immaterial as only one of Rulfs homesteads remain: his office at 113 South Lanana this served as his office and most likely his family home for a time. Rulfs did not advertise this building as his office until 1892 which most likely by that time he had constructed his home on East Main.
