Finch House

2010 East Cotton Street

Date of construction: 1898
Architectural Style: Victorian cottage
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark: 1967

This white Victorian cottage, one of the most authentic views of times past, was built by John Landrum Finch, a Confed-erate veteran, accomplished musician, cotton grower and businessman. A native of South Carolina, John Finch migrated to East Texas after the civil War and married Eugenia Pool of Missouri in Longview.

"Finch's Hill" was originally home to the family’s log home, farm buildings, and traditional red barn. Construction of the frame house followed, with ornately carved gingerbread, massive double doors graced by lace-etched glass, and bay windows at either side of the wide front porch. Shaded by two majestic oaks, the house was surrounded by a neat picket fence.

Similar to the floor plan of the Stephen F. Austin home in Nacogdoches, the home included two guest’s quarters at the front of the house, which did not have access to the main body of the house but were accorded the privacy of an entrance from the porch. The central hall extends the length of the house, and each room has a fireplace and chimney. Governor Jim Hogg, a close friend of the family, was a frequent visitor. Another notable guest was a young man of impeccable courtesy who, by his modest manner and habit of quoting scripture, led the family to believe he was a traveling clergy; in fact was the notorious outlaw John Wesley Hardin.

Eva Jean Finch Blount, granddaughter of the home’s builder, grew up in this home with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Markham Finch. The home was recently sold to an area physician, Dr. Don Eakin.

Hurst Home

1210 Judson Road

Date of construction: 1932
Architectural Style: Colonial Revival

Built by Dr. V. R. Hurst, a nationally recognized eye, ear, nose and throat physician, the 2-story home was located on the highest site of a farm that extended from near Delwood to Hillcrest. The roads from downtown were unpaved, and the advent of cars made a move "to the country" possible for professional people.

Because the home was being built during the depression, many craftsmen were out of work. Dr. Hurst purposely engaged the finest workmen to build his house and brought in Kermin, a noted decorator from Houston, to oversee the interior.

Of note is an intricately carved staircase railing. The walls are made of plaster and the roof is slate, both known for beauty and longevity. The light fixtures were all custom-made by Abbott in Dallas.

The house has four bedrooms, three and a half baths, formal living, dining room, breakfast room, morning room, butler’s pantry, kitchen, and solarium.

The landscaping was done by Lamberts of Shreveport and included a slate goldfish pond under crape myrtles.

Today the home is owned by Jacquelyn Jameson, daughter of Dr. Hurst.

Bramlette House

2401 MCann Road

Date of construction: 1932
Architectural Style: Colonial Revival

On February 25, 1875, Thomas Anderson Bramlette married Annie Eliza Miller. They moved their large family of 13 children to Longview in 1896.

Their oldest child, Erskine Miller Bramlette (1875-1942), married Jessie Olivia Boring. Erskine was an early schoolteacher in Longview and became principal of the local schools at age 21. He later became a lawyer, city attorney, county judge, and oil operator.

In 1932 Judge Bramlette began building a large country home on his farm on McCann Road. The Bramlettes’ son, Joseph, a WWII veteran and graduate of Harvard School of Architecture, designed the estate and the landscaping. According to oral history, the workmen all lived in tents on the grounds. The family had barely settled in their new home when Mrs. Bramlette died of cancer at age 56.

Widely known as a landscape architect, Joseph designed many gardens in the city. He donated the land for the Bramlette Elementary School, as well as developed the Bramlette Building and Huntington Park, where the historic family home is hidden by beautiful greenery.

The home is currently owned by Dr. David Sadler, a Longview cardiovascular surgeon. Dr. Sadler devotes great time and effort to the restoration and maintenance of this historic home.