Dr. Frederick R. Tolson House

Dr. Frederick Rudolph Tolson built this house around 1905 at 1108 Johnston Street to serve as his family home. In September, 2000, the structure was scheduled for demolition to make room for the Ascension Episcopal School parking lot. With publicity provided by the Lafayette Preservation Commission, a buyer surfaced, and the house was moved. Unfortunately, the new owners did not re-build the house. They were able to use portions of the house to re-create another house with an architectural style that does not resemble the original house. The value of this historic structure includes the old growth lumber with which many early 20th century houses were built. United States Secretary of the Interior’s National Park Service publishes information about how to properly reconstruct historic buildings using correct methods and proper materials. These standards help owners retain the value of their architecturally-significant buildings. Lafayette’s citizens and visitors owe a large debt of gratitude to the owners of historic properties who have thoughtfully maintained the value of their historic buildings.