Open House of 147-Year-Old Oxford Home Draws Dozens

It is rare that the Open House of a home for sale warrants a ceremony by the Chamber of Commerce and around 100 people in attendance. However, 1413 South Lamar in Oxford proved worthy.

The historic home at 1413 South Lamar. Photo by Victoria Mekus.

On Friday, July 8, the long-anticipated renovation of the house, which sits on a small hill near the roundabouts, was revealed to the public. Citizens of Oxford and out-of-town visitors who have been patiently awaiting to see the home gathered at 11:30 a.m. for food, refreshments and the chance to walk through.

The iconic home, which was originally established in 1868, was purchased by local builder J.W. McCurdy from the family of late Tommy Brown in 2015. Through his company, M.R. Construction, McCurdy and his team gave the home a full interior renovation and exterior update.

JW McCurdy, owner of MR Construction, and Ryan Miller, Chairman of the Board for the Oxford Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Victoria Mekus.

“There are a lot of people who have grown up here with the Browns, and I’m one of them, so we wanted to make sure this [project] was done right,” said McCurdy to the guests. “We are very proud of it and are hoping that a nice family will have it and live here for a long time.”

The 10-room home boasts four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms. The 147-year old home was essentially “modernized,” with the goal of still maintaining its original Folk Victorian charm.

According to information provided at the Open House, the lot was originally an 81-acre farm owned by Chancellor Augustus Longstreet. In 1860, the Beanland family purchased the land and sold it to D.M. Smith in 1867 who built the house. The Beanlands purchased the land and house back in 1868, where generations of the family lived until it was sold to the Brown family in 1984.

Some attendees of the Open House listen to JW McCurdy and Ryan Williams give statements on the home and event. Photo by Victoria Mekus.

“When I got to Ole Miss and Oxford in 1997 there are two things I immediately recognized,” said Ryan Miller, Chairman of the Board for the Oxford Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, at the ceremony. “One was the warm disposition and the greatness of the people. Two was the beautiful geography and architecture. This was one of those houses that I would routinely drive by and dream about living in a place like this.”

The home is being sold by Re/Max Legacy Realty in Oxford at a listing price of $1,910,000.

A photo of the cake at the event, which demonstrates what the home looked like before and after. Photo by Victoria Mekus.

For more information on MR Construction, call (662) 816-2700. To make inquiries about 1413 South Lamar and the details of its listing, call Re/Max Legacy Realty at (713) 303-8924.

Victoria Mekus is enrolled at Meek School of Journalism and New Media. She can be reached at vlmekus@go.olemiss.edu.