Built during the first wave of construction in Heritage Hills, this ornate home is a good example of how an historic house can tastefully evolve with the times. Constructed by lumberman John E. Crawford in 1903, it originally was a two-story frame home designed with a mixture of Prairie farm and Victorian era styles. Typical of the times, the design emphasized vertical lines, with a steeply pitched roof and large gables. The Crawfords remained in the home until 1917.

Two years later, it was purchased for $7,100 by Mr. and Mrs. David A. Richardson. A native of Arkansas, Mr. Richardson was an attorney who moved to the Indian Territory in 1903 to become assistant attorney for the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations. At statehood he was elected a district judge, and three years later was appointed to the first Court of Criminal Appeals. At the time he and his wife bought the house on 14th, Judge Richardson was a member of the prestigious law firm of Ames, Chambers, Lowe, and Richardson.

In 1927, after being named general counsel for the Marland Oil Company, Richardson decided to remodel his home. He added a brick veneer, built quarters, and generally updated the interior. The home remained in the Richardson family until 1959.

The evolution of the home continued under the next two owners, Dr. and Mrs. Wayne Woods re-decorated the downstairs, added central air conditioning to the upstairs, and installed an antique New Orleans carriage light near the entry sidewalk. They sold the home in 1968 to Dr. Perry A. and Mona Lambird.

Perry, a native of Nevada, had attended Stanford University, where he received his B.A., and The Johns Hopkins University, where he completed his medical degree. After moving to Oklahoma City in 1969 to take a position as a pathologist at the Medical Arts Laboratory, he earned an MBA at Oklahoma City University. Mona, the former Mona Salyer, had attended Wellesley College in Massachusetts and received her law degree from the University of Maryland. In 1976 she became the first woman elected a member of a major Oklahoma law firm, Andrews Davis Legg Bixler Milsten and Murrah. Both Mona and Perry became active in HPI during the early years.

After moving into the home on 14th, the Lambirds retrussed the roof, expanded the kitchen by incorporating the former screened porch into a family sitting area, adapted the Florida room for use as a library, and converted the basement laundry area for the home’s fifth bedroom and bath. The extra room was necessary, for the Lambirds raised four daughters, Allison, Jennifer, Elizabeth, and Susannah. Susannah was born in 1971 after they moved into the home.

Current homeowners, William and Catherine Dooley, have removed carpeting, refinished floors, and updated mechanical systems. The original radiator system has been refurbished and is still used to heat the home. A comprehensive kitchen renovation has created a space compatible with 21st century living, while incorporating details appropriate to the home’s original design and architecture.

The front door leads to twin parlors that flank the entrance. Original columns were milled by first owner Mr. Crawford, who also provided much of the lumber and millwork for construction at the Overholser Mansion. Leaded glass windows create a rainbow effect as sunlight filters through at various times during the day.

Chandeliers in the dining room and parlors were imported from Paris in 1926. Hardwood floors on the main level are unique for their log cabin design details. Upstairs and under rugs on the main level the original owner economized with pine flooring. This home exemplifies the success of preservation efforts in Oklahoma City.

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