Who doesn’t love a good time capsule?  This one, built in 1952 in Gladewater, Texas, has been on Zillow for about 10 days and is already generating lots of interest online; I ran across it when a reader shared it on the always mesmerizing Old House Dreams.  While not a great example of any particular architectural style, the highly eclectic house is of interest primarily because it has survived 66 years with very few alterations and only minor updates (most appear to date to the 1960’s).  Original wallpapers still captivate; tiled baths gleam like new.  While the furnishings may not be original to the house (which has sold twice before), they have been in the house for decades and many are of the period.  A curved desk is likely original to the house.  Let’s take a peek at the past!

 

The house is roughly L-shaped with a curved corner.  A tower-like room emerges from the roof.  Image courtesy of Google Street View.

 

It is nicely situated on a corner lot.  Image courtesy of Google Street View.

 

The side door appears to have served as the most-used entrance.  Image courtesy of Google Street View.

 

A curved sunroom fills in the crook of the L-shaped plan.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

Bold and original wallpaper lines the hall.  Note the phone niche at right.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

Dentil crown moldings and a Federal-style mantle convey a traditional tone at odds with the more modern exterior.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

The living room opens to the spacious sunporch.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

The room beyond the dining room appears to be the side entry, and may have originally served as an office.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

Great wallpaper!  A half bath connects to this room.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

More original wallpaper.  Fun lighting flanks the round mirror!  Photo source: zillow.com

 

This bedroom connects to the sunporch.  The vanity in the corner has probably been in that spot since the house was built.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

The floor of the sunroom is set with high-quality quarry tile which still looks great.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

This bedroom has closet doors with full-size beveled mirrors attached.  The light fixture appears to be of Italian art glass.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

The wall-mounted handrail is interesting because it starts with a newel post.  Let’s run upstairs to the “tower” room!  Photo source: zillow.com

 

It appears to be the Master bedroom.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

I’d bet that the curved desk was custom made for that location.  I think that the door at right leads to the bathroom seen below.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

An adjacent bath with great tile and an enviable shower door.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

The kitchen has had some updates over the years, but still retains its original cabinets and countertops.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

This hall presumably leads to the garage, back yard and basement.  Note the fluted door casings which are typical of those throughout the house; they utilize plinth blocks, but have mitred corners in lieu of corner blocks.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

Those garage doors appear to be quite stout and will probably last forever if allowed to.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

Another interesting tiled bath – this one appears to have a curved vanity built into the corner.  Photo source: zillow.com

 

The fourth amazingly original tiled bath.  The wallpaper looks original, too.  Something tells me this house never had kids in it!  Photo source: zillow.com

 

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