The Building and Grounds

The Kidd family occupied the house from 1886 until 1921. As the family grew, more rooms were added to the original structure, creating the rather unusual pattern of room locations. The house was the first residence in Ruston to have indoor plumbing. The large backyard contained a garden, several outbuildings and a grass tennis court, reputed to have been the first in town.

In 1921 Captain E. L. Kidd sold the house to the Robert Wesley Davis family where in 1938, under the direction of architect William King Stubbs, the square columns were replaced and the Chippendale top railings were added. Part of the spacious front porch was enclosed, thereby enlarging the front rooms. At its final addition, the house contained some 9,900 square feet under a roof that contained eight gables.