Restoring a historic home is a laudable task. Doing it well is worth celebrating. That’s what we love about his particular restoration in Munger Place.
This 1921 classic Craftsman is one of the best stories of restoration there is. In 2019, our own Joshua Baethge told us about Tam Pham’s Steel Toe Stiletto firm, which was tasked with taking this home to the studs to restore and update it.
Proving that she doesn’t do anything by half measures, Pham received the Preservation Dallas Achievement Award in 2020 for her incredible work.
The 2,845-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bathroom classic Craftsman is an absolute beauty in one of Dallas’s best neighborhoods. Munger Park is across the street, and The Garden Cafe is just past the park. It’s one of the most walkable and relaxing areas in East Dallas.
I asked Preservation Dallas Executive Director David Preziosi to send me the awards application materials to learn a bit more about this classic Craftsman.
Newlyweds Cleo and Jack NuDelman purchased this charming 1921 bungalow on Dumas shortly after they married to be close to her parents on Swiss Avenue. They lived there through the mid-1930s. Widow Eula Mae Hester bought the house about 1957. Her daughter Virginia remained in the home until only a few years ago.
That’s when Pham purchased the home and turned it into the showplace Baethge detailed in his post. It was not easy, and Pham spared no attention to detail, even bringing in a colleague from North Carolina to ensure the original wavy glass and sashes were repaired and reused.
All of the interior and exterior bevel glass doors were cleaned and repaired to operate properly following foundation repairs. A set of matching beveled glass French doors that led to the spacious wrap-around porch was uncovered and repaired, allowing natural light to flood the parlor. Threadbare carpet glued directly to the floor throughout the house was carefully scraped away, revealing the original hardwood floors. The floor was repaired, sanded, and refinished.
Preservation Dallas
When Allie Beth Allman listing agent Jan Rook let me know 710 Dumas Street was for sale recently, I knew it would not last. In fact, I told her, “It’s going to sell before I can write about it because it’s flawless.”
I was right, of course. It’s under contract. If you missed out on this beauty, my advice is to get to know Jan and put her on speed dial.
For those of you who think tearing down a historic home should ever be considered, just take this classic Craftsman as your example. It’s not just a house — it’s a home where each owner has left their mark, care, and love. We hope the new owners love it as much as we do!
