sevfiv Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 I own an original Mott house and would love to know more about them. Mine was built in 1930. I believe the RDA did a tour of Mott houses back in 1998, before I purchased my house. Any info would be greatly appreciatedIf anyone has an issue of the Summer/Fall 1998 issue of Cite magazine, there is an article by Stephen Fox entitled Modern Homecraft: The Houses of Katherine B. and Harry L. Mott.carried over from the Baylor/Parkwood thread:according to the Houston Architectural Guide, the following were designed by Mott, and most were built in collaboration with Burns & James architects:2421 Brentwood (1929) - First Mott house of ten in River Oaks - also won a Good Brick Award in 20033325 Inwood (1930) - her family's home1419 Kirby Dr. (1930)1659 South Blvd. (1928)1660 South Blvd. (1929)2555 N. MacGregor Way (1929)2620 Riverside Dr. (~1929-1930)1920 Woodbury (1929) - demolished, one of the largest Mott houses2519 N. MacGregor Way (~1929-1930) - not sure this one is still around2627 Riverside Dr. (~1929-1930) - not sure about this one either2417 Riverside Dr. (~1929-1930) - possibly altered2612 Riverside Dr. (~1929-1930) - now the part of the Ladet Motel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJB857 Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 If anyone has an issue of the Summer/Fall 1998 issue of Cite magazine, there is an article by Stephen Fox entitled Modern Homecraft: The Houses of Katherine B. and Harry L. Mott.carried over from the Baylor/Parkwood thread:Anyone know where I can buy an old issue of Cite? I checked the RDA website and it does't appear to sell back issues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnu Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Anyone know where I can buy an old issue of Cite? I checked the RDA website and it does't appear to sell back issuesi was able to purchase back issues several years ago.i just dropped them an email request. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 the Cite article has pictures of the Brentwood and South Blvd. exteriors, and interior pictures of the Del Monte house. There's also plans for the 1419 Kirby house. Rice U library has copies of Cite for in-library use. it is interesting, though - the account of how she started because she was apparently bored, and how her husband is "portrayed as the indulgent husband, humoring the whims of his vivacious wife." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan the Man Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 3263 Del Monte was demolished in 2001 (House was featured in Cite article).2627 Riverside Drive was also demolished in 2001. Fortunately, I was able to make measured drawings and take a bunch of pictures of the interior and exterior details a few weeks before demolition. If I ever get a chance build my own house, I'd love to build an exact copy of it out in the country. It was a very comfortable house...The Mott houses are treasures worthy of preserving. Though they are somewhat simple in plan, their exterior detailing is extraordinary. One of my favorite spots in Houston is the intersection of South Blvd and Dunlavy, where there are two Mott houses directly across the street from each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 9, 2007 Author Share Posted August 9, 2007 there is more information about the Motts (and Burns and James) from the Houston Architectural Survey (v. 3, Southwest Center for Urban Research, 1980):Katharine B. Mott and her husband Harry L. Mott moved to Houston from Indianapolis late in 1927. After visits to the west coast and Texas in search of a warmer climate on which to live, the Motts settled on Houston as the friendliest place with the greatest business potential. In Indianapolis, Katharine Mott had begun designing houses after the last of her three daughters started school. The first three houses she designed were all for her own family but each was subsequently sold to an admirer. Mr. Mott, a real estate developer, realized his wife’s talent and commissioned her to design houses for an entire block in one of his Indianapolis developments. In twelve months Mrs. Mott saw twelve of her designs constructed. She completed eighteen more before leaving Indianapolis. Because Mrs. Mott had no formal training in architecture she worked with Edward James of the Indianapolis architectural firm Burns & James. [...]Between 1928 and 1932 Katharine and Harry Mott built over twenty houses in the Houston subdivisions of Riverside Terrace, Edgemont, Devonshire Place and River Oaks. These houses were formularized to a certain extent, although each was unique in elevation and plan. They are all of tapestry brick with casement windows; their plans are asymmetrical with the main entrance off-center, and their scale is large. Some are Tudor in character, some contain half timbering in the Elizabethan tradition, others have more Norman elements such as a round tower with conical roof. Mrs. Mott brought with her from Indianapolis her carpenter and brickmason, both of whom were very skilled craftsmen. The unusual brickwork, although it is never the same, is a recognizable feature of the Mott houses.[...]The Motts did build their own home at 11527 Memorial Drive in Piney Point Village in the 1950s and Katharine Mott continued to live there until her death in 1979.also, the cite article: http://www.mediafire.com/?9t3nhmytm0b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJB857 Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 there is more information about the Motts (and Burns and James) from the Houston Architectural Survey (v. 3, Southwest Center for Urban Research, 1980):also, the cite article: http://www.mediafire.com/?9t3nhmytm0bThanks for the Cite article - very much - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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