The Mabel and Clay Hodgin Residence, located at 907 Fairmont Street in Westerwood, will be included in this weekend’s Tour of Historic Homes & Gardens.
Among the earliest homes in this section of Westerwood, the Hodgin House was likely constructed in 1924. The design of the 2,587 square foot house is a variation of Colonial Revival style known as Dutch Colonial. The style is characterized by a full-width shed dormer window atop a gambrel roofline and featuring a shed porch with robust masonry columns, perhaps inspired by Charles Barton Keen’s work at Reynolda House in Winston-Salem.
Mabel and Ezra Clay Hodgin are listed as residing here in the city directory in 1924. “Clay” as he was known, was born in Greensboro in 1893, and began a career as a chiropractor in 1921 with an office with Carl Carlson named Carlson & Hodgin with an office in downtown on Sycamore Street. He was remembered for his leadership in his profession as the President of the North Carolina Chiropractors Association. He was also involved with the community through the Masons, the Optimists Club, and through membership at the West Market Street United Methodist Church. The Hodgins had two children, Clay Jr. and Dorothy. Also listed in the household is 19-year-old Kate Rogers, an African American woman from South Carolina employed as a housekeeper. In 1932 the family moved to Lindley Park (they moved back briefly to Westerwood a few years later), and finally to Irving Park. In time, father and son pooled their resources to form Hodgin & Hodgin Chiropractors located on Church Street.
The next long-term owners were Virginia Vandalsem and John M. Woltz, who acquired the house in 1950. At the time the couple moved in, John and his wife were 54 and 44 years old respectively, and operated Piedmont Office Suppliers on North Greene Street. John was an elder at the First Presbyterian Church. He is also remembered for his involvement with the Boy Scouts, from whom he was recognized with a Silver Beaver Award! They had two sons who were teenagers in the home, John Jr. and Van. John Sr. passed away in 1980 and Virginia followed in 1996. Susan and Jim Stinson have lived in the house since 1994. Among the updates they have performed are an expanded kitchen, family room, and master bedroom suite and removal of aluminum siding. Other details of this home are well-preserved, including intact trim and hardware, the modest bedrooms and bathroom located on the second floor.
Tickets are available online through the link below, or at The Extra Ingredient (Friendly Center) and Brown and Gardiner (N. Elm Street). Stay tuned to our website, this blog and our Facebook page for additional tour information.
You must be logged in to post a comment.