One of the largest homes in the area, this Italian renaissance style mansion was built by Cora Harrison & Leon Levy in 1909. They had three children, Thekla, Harrison, and Mariam. The three-story buff brick contrasts a red tile roof against a Colonial Revival design with bungalow features. The third floor features a ballroom.

Leon was born February 3, 1872, in Waco, Texas, one of several brothers who eventually migrated to Oklahoma City. He completed his education, then attended business school and opened a general store. In 1905 he sold out to his partner and moved to Oklahoma territory.

Levy entered the real estate business, offering services from land and buildings to loans and insurance. Levy owned the Mercantile building downtown.

Cora was born September 19, 1872, in Texas, the youngest of her six siblings. Cora and Leon married in 1896. Cora died December 16, 1948, at age 76. Leon died October 14, 1957, at age 85.

Mrs. Anton Classen bought the house in 1930 and began extensive remodeling. She added the front entryway with arches, built a room on the back, constructed a five-car garage and quarters, and installed extensive retaining walls around the north and east sides of the property. Five years later it was sold to Carter Mullally, a partner of William T. Hales who managed Hales-Mullally Inc., a wholesale distributor of appliances.

Dr. William Best & Ann Giddings Thompson and their five children, Mary Ann, William, Kevin, Shawn, and Kerry, lived in the home in the 1960s and 70s. Dr. Thompson was a nationally known pioneer cardiologist. He received his medical training at the University of Oklahoma, Scott White Clinic in Temple, Texas, Harvard Medical School, and Massachusetts General Hospital. He was an Associate Professor of Cardiology at OU and a founding member of the Cardiovascular Clinic.

Ann was born December 2, 1921, in Anadarko, Oklahoma. She graduated from the Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha in 1943 with a degree in chemistry. Ann was accepted into the aeronautical engineering program offered under a wartime merit scholarship by Curtiss-Wright Corporation. She continued her studies at the University of Texas at Austin and later contributed to the design of the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter aircraft. While working for American Cyanamid, she participated in the development and testing of the original Formica product.

Ann and Bill married June 25, 1944, in Anadarko and lived in Texas, New York, and Washington before settling in Oklahoma City. They were charter members of Westminster Church where Ann sang in the choir for 31 years. They also enjoyed tennis and golf. Bill died December 10, 1993, of pancreatic cancer. Ann died December 17, 1994, also of pancreatic cancer.

Later in the 1970s Dr. Westley and Lydia Freeman purchased the home. They had two children, Tim and Angie. Wes Freeman was born on September 1, 1936. He attended Oklahoma State University earning degrees in accounting and pre-dental. He earned his D.D.S. from Baylor in 1963 and had a private dental practice for 55 years in Oklahoma City. Wes died on May 2, 2018. The Freemans lived in the home for many years before moving to Edmond. They later returned to Heritage Hills and lived at 1801 N. Hudson.

In 1979 it was sold to Marion and Richard J. Thompson. Richard was president of Thompson School Book Depository. The Thompsons raised two sons in the home, Matthew and Charles.

They remodeled the kitchen, removed carpeting and refinished the original wood floors on the first floor. The basement was renovated to include a wine cellar, and they added a swimming pool and cabana to the backyard. In addition, they remodeled and redecorated the two-story guest house in an English country style. Marion’s mother, Ruthie Suggs, lived in the guest house. Ruthie cherished her art room and her beautiful gardens, including a well-established herb garden. The Thompsons featured their home on the 1989 and 1998 Historic Home Tours and also hosted many neighborhood and holiday parties for all ages in their grand home.

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