Walter Franklin Mills House

Walter Franklin Mills House was built by Mr. Mathias Meyers, the same person who built the Jeanmard House next door. It was designed in accordance with the more progressive style of the times, the American Foursquare. The style was part of the American Arts and Crafts Movement in architecture. While many homes built in Lafayette in the late nineteenth century were designed in the Victorian style, using ornamentation to achieve a picturesque look, Craftsman styles were considered a more “honest” architecture that featured cleaner lines and a focus on function rather than decoration. It emerged as the more progressive style by the early twentieth century. This property is located in the Hopkins Addition, developed in 1903 as an extension of Lafayette’s first upscale residential subdivision. Among the numerous early owners of this property, Walter Franklin Mills is the one who would have been most remembered as being associated with this house. He was a former railroad worker who lived in the house for many years. He also operated a mechanical repair shop at the rear of the property. Thanks to the exceptional care by current owners, Ken and Andrea Veron, and previous owner, Peter Scalisi, the house remains in beautiful condition.