Goldsmith-Donovan House

The story

Behind the sketch.

The Goldsmith–Donovan House began in the late nineteenth century as a relatively simple two-story residence, then received a dramatic French-inspired makeover. Between about 1894 and 1898, a mansard roof and tower transformed it into one of Twickenham's most recognizable Second Empire houses. Oscar Goldsmith, a prominent Huntsville businessman, is associated with its early history. The house proves that even historic homes once chased trends. Its owners did not merely add a room; they gave the whole building a new personality. A later rear addition expanded it again, but the tower and mansard roof still provide the theatrical flourish that makes this house hard to pass without looking up.

Neighborhood

Twickenham

Book location

Page 38