C. J. and Edythe Davidson purchased this large River Crest property on the bluffs overlooking the West Fork of the Trinity River in 1935. “Red” Davidson was president of Davidson Drilling Co. and Cascade Petroleum Co.. Plans dated September 8, 1936 were drawn by Joseph R. Pelich; the residence was constructed by contractor Herschel D. Terrell from 1937 to 1938. The house was purchased by Chester A. Haltom in 1950, and remains in the Haltom family. Well known for his Period Revival houses, Pelich’s design is a rambling, electric fusion of Chateauesque, Norman and Gothic Revival elements. Gabled wings project forward on both sided of a central bay to form an irregular U-plan. Prominent features of the house include a semi-detached turret and a Gothic arched loggia and porte-cochere. Photographic records of Pelich’s work indicate that the painted brick surfaces may be original, and as such are an exception to many River Crest houses. The house appears qualify for National Register listing for its architectural design and its associations with prominent local families.
