James Judson and Lena Carter Carroll House

Duane's take

The way the marker tells it, here's the story of the James Judson and Lena Carter Carroll House. Built in 1912, with alterations carried out in 1924 by architect Birdsall P. Briscoe, this classical revival residence has been standing in Harris County long enough to have a few things to say for itself.

And if those two-story colossal columns could talk, they would probably open with something impressive. They tend to do that. The house was home to James Judson Carroll, born in 1876 and gone by 1938, a man the marker calls a noted businessman and ornithologist.

Now that is a combination worth sitting with for a moment. Businessman, sure. Ornithologist.

That means the man studied birds. Seriously studied them. So picture it: a grand classical revival home with colossal columns, a distinctive balustrade, large windows on the principal facade letting in all that Texas light, and somewhere inside, a man equally at home closing a deal and cataloguing a warbler.

His wife Lena, born in 1879 and living all the way to 1971, came from a prominent lumber company family, which is its own kind of Texas story right there. And inside those walls, adding detail that no photograph quite captures, artist Peter Mansbendel left his mark in the form of interior carvings. The craftsmanship, the columns, the birds.

Some houses just have character. This one earned it.

What the marker says

Built in 1912, with 1924 alterations by architect Birdsall P. Briscoe, this was the home of James Judson Carroll (1876-1938), noted businessman and ornithologist, and Lena (Carter) 1879-1971) his wife, who was a member of a prominent lumber company family. The classical revival residence features interior carvings by artist Peter Mansbendel, two-story colossal columns, a distinctive balustrade, and large windows on the principal facade. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1997