The founder of one of my favorite stores lived at 963 Lombard. It’s known that Frank A. Baynham moved here from 768 Lombard in 1941. Preservation officer Joan Marchand’s notes make no mention of the Baynhams’ monkeys ever residing in the charming English cottage — they didn’t come along until the store expanded in the 1950s and monkeys were displayed in glass cages. (I remember buying Aigner purses and shoes and watching the monkey at Baynham’s Shoe Store in Washington Square Mall — and stopping for Libs candy, too.) For more than 50 years, customers flocked to Baynham’s on Main Street and later at Washington Square Mall, North Park, and Eastland Mall.
Marchand’s notes from her 1994 Historic Preservation Week tour tell the story of the sprawling ranch home at 901 Lombard. It was built on two lots in 1940-1941 by George E. Cameron, described by Marchand as having “breezed into Evansville on the late 1930s oil wave.” Cameron’s brother, Arthur, built the white brick Colonial mansion at 411 Hebron for his actress wife, June Knight Cameron.
This painted brick cottage at 807 with an arched porch entrance was built in 1928 for Frank J. and Laura Lohoff. He was a sales representative for Evansville Tool Works.
A grocer, Philip Hoelscher, was the first owner of this 1921 bungalow at 773, promoted as having five “spacious rooms,” including a breakfast room and pantry. I admire the breezy porch.
A lovely classical portico and porch define this 1926 home at 761 built for Jode and Mada Hay. He was associated with the Orr Iron Co. and made a mortgage loan for $2,900 with Peoples Bank for the home.
One of the oldest homes on Lombard is the attractive 1915 bungalow at 753 built by Mitchell as a spec home.
Next week will conclude my series of posts on the history of one of Evansville’s oldest subdivisions, Bellemeade, and the houses that line Lombard Avenue.
