The Holman House: Historical references and little anecdotes.

The Holman House: Historical references and little anecdotes. Main Photo

30 Dec 2022


News

Many of you may have driven by the Holman House and wondered what the story was behind this place. This house is a gem in Ozark and here’s why.

The Holman House was built in 1912 for Jesse DeCosta Holman and his wife Susan. J. D. Holman was a prominent mule and horse trader in the community and Susan was the daughter of a prominent lawyer in town. When they married, J. Holman wanted the tallest house in town, and he chose to build it across the street from his father-in-law. Once it was finished, the father-in-law walked in and said, “This is too big” and walked out. The house remained in the family until 1982 when Jack Mizell bought it for his family. The Mizell family started a radio station, The Rose, on the main floor while they lived upstairs. The Rose was a talk show and music station for the local community and also included news.

Jack Mizell also started many renovations such as wheelchair access and an elevator installed because the architect was wheelchair-bound. In 2013, the city of Ozark bought the house and registered it as a historical place.

house exterior

photos on the wall

group photo

 

About the House

The house was designed by Neoclassical Montgomery architect C. Frank Galliher and constructed by the first African American construction company in the area, the Boykin brothers, Arthur and Luther Boykin.

There are 14 rooms, including a full kitchen and basement. Each room has a mantle and all the light fixtures are original. The front room’s mantel has a horse and mule picture which was not approved by Susan but Jesse did it anyway. An interesting fact about the grand staircase is that it has no nails. The wood is handcrafted and constructed with tongue and grooves instead. The roof tile was sourced from the Italian immigrant company Ludowici which was located in Georgia. A wrap-around porch stretches the west, south (front), and east side of the house. The backyard has a small pecan orchard and a running fountain.

Events

The Holman House hosts events such as music recitals, business meetings, and weddings. Coffee and Conversations are also hosted with prominent figures such as the mayor, Chief of Police, and other political figures. The next scheduled Coffee and Conversations is to be held in February 2021 with the mayor if CDC regulations permit during COVID-19. If you want to rent out space at the Holman House, please contact Ozark’s Chamber of Commerce at (334) 774-9321. After renovations are finished, the Holman House would like to give tours hosted by young volunteers. If you are interested please contact the Chamber of Commerce.
 

 

 

 

Read More on Our Website

 

By Adreana Chebat on December 23, 2020