James F. and Irene Noble purchased this lot in 1905, only two years after Anton Classen platted the addition between Walker and Shartel. At the time there was only one house under construction on the block.

James had just moved to Oklahoma City from Perry, where the Pioneer Telephone and Telegraph Company was born in 1894 under the leadership of Emory Westervelt, E.D. Nims, James, and his brother John. In 1903, expanding into the territory’s largest market, the brothers moved the firm’s headquarters to Oklahoma City. With James as plant superintendent and a major stockholder, Pioneer Telephone and Telegraph became the cornerstone of Southwestern Bell.

The exterior of the home is dominated by the large two-story round turret with a conical roof, a feature lifted directly from Queen Anne. Other design elements taken from the nineteenth century include the tall chimneys, the asymmetrical arrangement of the façade, the bay window, and the juxtaposition of the arched and rectangular windows. The original covered porch on the east is now an enclosed sunroom. Unlike classical Victorian-era homes, however, the lines are cleaner with fewer embellishments, drawing a distinctive line between the fading Gothic taste and the contemporary onset of Colonial Revival.

The Nobles sold the house in 1920 to the leading jurist of the state, Mr. Thomas H. Owen and his wife, Ludie. A native of Arkansas, Thomas moved in 1896 to the Indian Territory, where he became a city attorney, then a county attorney in Muskogee. In 1909, with his good friend Charles Haskell as the state’s first governor, Owen was appointed to a seat on the State Court of Criminal Appeals. He later moved to the State Supreme Court and became chief justice in 1919. Owen and Ludie, remained in the home until 1962.

Addition owners include Mr. and Mrs. George Fain, Mr. and Mrs. John Nulvahill, Mr. and Mrs. Troy May, Dr. Michael Lee and Mr. Ken L. Rainey, Mike Berryman, and Phillip Washburn.

Phillip W. Washburn graduated in 1958 from Midwest City High School where he was a State Championship wrestler. He received his BA in Drama from San Francisco State. He taught himself computer coding and started a propriety software company, Strategic Information Systems in the late 70's. A passionate athlete, he was a daily mainstay at the Downtown YMCA swimming, running, and cycling. He was also well known as an avid Argentine Tango dancer, along with Folk, and West Coast Swing, traveling all over to the nation to attend dance workshops and festivals. Phil remained in the home until his death in 2012 at age 72. Phil’s daughter is Carolyn Matthews.

Current owners have done additional renovations and enjoy spending time with many families in the neighborhood.

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