DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Amarillo Globe Dream House. Now, there's something almost irresistible about the idea of a newspaper building itself a house. Not writing about a house.
Not reviewing a house. Actually commissioning, brick by Tudor revival brick, a house of its own. That's exactly what happened in 1925 out in Randall County, when a real estate development firm and the local evening paper — the Amarillo Globe — decided to team up and put their money where their headlines were.
They wanted to show the public what modern building looked like. And they were going to do it with style. The result was a red brick dwelling in the Tudor revival style, with a steeply pitched cross gabled roof, a massive chimney, a low walled terrace, and a distinctive double garage.
This wasn't some plain box of a house. This was a statement. The man who designed it was a regionally significant architect named Guy Carlander, and his job wasn't just to build something handsome.
His job was to showcase the work of local craftsmen and building supply companies. This house was practically a living advertisement for what Amarillo talent could do. Managing the whole project on the ground was builder M.C.
Hancock — and here's where the story gets a little delicious — because at the very same time, Hancock was building a competing model home over in Wolflin Place, for the Amarillo Daily News. The man was working both sides of town, serving two newspapers at once, each one racing to out-dream the other. Meanwhile, the Amarillo Globe was reporting regularly on the progress of their own home, inviting the public to drive on out and inspect the modern materials and furnishings for themselves.
Part journalism, part showmanship, entirely Texas. The Harvey and Madell Radey family eventually made it their own and lived there until 1973. But the house itself outlasted the headlines, outlasted the rivalry, outlasted the whole noisy ambition that built it.
Turns out the best story the Amarillo Globe ever told wasn't printed on a page. It was built out of red brick, with a steep gabled roof and a massive chimney, sitting right there for anyone to come and see.
What the marker says
This house was built in 1925 as a joint project of a real estate development firm and the local evening newspaper. The Tudor revival style red brick dwelling has a steeply pitched cross gabled roof, massive chimney, low walled terrace and distinctive double garage. Regionally significant architect guy carlander designed the house to showcase the work of local craftsmen and building supply companies. Builder M.C. Hancock managed the project, even as he was building a competing model home in Wolflin Place for the Amarillo Daily News. The Amarillo Globe reported regularly on the progress of their home, inviting the public to drive out and inspect the modern materials and furnishings. The Harvey and Madell Radey family lived here until 1973.