The Somerset Historic District
Smith House - c.1902
This 2-story complex massed house with Italianate influence has a central hipped roof with gabled ells on the south and east sides with a square three-story tower in the ell corner. Two arched windows in the third story of the tower are duplicated in the partly enclosed front porch, which boasts turned posts flanked by shaped and pierced brackets.
Miles Fuller sold the lot on which this house now stands to Edward Halliday in 1899. Halliday sold the lot to Willis and Amelia Davis in 1902 and they had the house built around that time. Mrs. Davies sold tobacco, candy, bread and kerosene from a little store on the north side of the house.
The Town's first telephone exchange was operated from this house Ð Mrs. Davies' older daughter, Louise, was the operator. Bessie Swigart's sisters were neighbors -- they were Mrs. Henry (Lettie) Latterner in Friendship Heights and Mrs. W. A. (Lilly) Ough on Cumberland Avenue. When telephones were installed, the three of them, together with Mrs. John R. (Louise) Cox were on the same party line. They made a habit of picking up their telephone receivers at nine each morning for a free chat.
In 1920, the house was sold to Harold and Dorothea Clarke, and then in 1921, it was sold to the Smith family. Mr. Smith had been in the US Navy as a young man. Mrs. Smith -- Margaret -- was known as Daisy. They had two sons, Olin and Billy. Mrs. Smith was a vivacious lady and was well known in town for the plentiful Halloween and Christmas decorations with which she decked her house, a tradition that was carried on by her son Billy and his family, using the same decorations, for many years. The house was sold out of the Smith family in June 1983.
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