FALLING FAR FROM THE TREE
One of the prettiest houses in Rockdale is up for sale. At least it is one of the prettiest in my opinion.
Some call it the Camp House because it was originally owned by E. A. Camp. I usually refer to it as the Selden’s house because that’s who lived in it when I was growing up. It is now owned by Barkley Alford, and he’s put it up for sale.
My mom and dad were very good friends with Dr. Selden and his then wife Geri. They had three boys and my family spent a lot of time there so I have very fond memories of that big house.
Barkley gave me a tour of the house not too long ago and he had done a lot of fixing up. The parlor, dining room and music room are still much as I remember them from my youth. He did add a hallway and a bathroom on the first floor. And he also added an apartment on the third floor. I’m sure there are many other improvements as well.
The grand staircase is still the same as I remember from the photos the Realtor, Elaine Gerren, has posted online.
There was also a back staircase, much less grand, that I distinctly remember because it was the one we kids always used. I don’t remember us being banished from using the main staircase, but it’s possible.
One memory I have of that back staircase involves my brother, Ken. He was an odd child. He’s still odd, but that’s neither here nor there. That child was allergic to everything including bath soap and, oddly, disposable diapers which had just been invented. I have written before about mom and dad having to continue using cloth diapers on him.
He must have been oddly shaped because his little doo doo balls would often fall out of his diapers. Once when he was crawling up that back staircase he left a little ball on each stair tread on his way up. Kevin Selden and I went up the staircase later with Kevin leading the way. I remember him shouting, “Milk Duds!” and picking each one up before realizing they were not, in fact, Milk Duds. Our family still laughs about that around the dining room table.
Most Rockdalians who were in band remember this house because of its music room. Who has a music room? Mrs. Selden accompanied all of us when we had band UIL contests. Her name is Geri Janik now and if I know her she is probably still involved with music and kids.
The older Selden boys were Rush and Eddie. I remember they once decided to dig a hole to China in their yard because that’s how we rolled back then. However, they dug to a much greater depth than anyone ever thought they would. They never made it to China, but I think it was the deepest hole I’d ever seen anyone dig. And with all this red clay around town I’ll bet it wasn’t easy.
So now another family will live in this historic home. After living in Houston for so long, I’m happy to see that the home has been cared for and fixed up. In the old Montrose neighborhood I lived in old houses are being torn down nearly every day with ugly, brand new three story townhouses being built in their places. I’m glad this beautiful old house will live on for another several generations.
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