Nichols sold this two-story stucco home to Mr. and Mrs. Jules Block in 1919 for $28,000. A native of Louisiana, Block came to Oklahoma City during the boom in 1910 and opened a clothing store, the Fifth Avenue Clothes Shop. After his marriage and the sale of his store, Block entered the real estate business and sold stocks and bonds. In 1934, they moved to Nichols Hills.

Other longtime residents of the house were Louise and Dr. William J. Rucks, Jr. William was born August 22, 1903, in Guthrie, but his father moved to Oklahoma City and helped establish the Oklahoma City Clinic, one of the pioneer medical firms in the state. William received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University in 1928 and joined the clinic. Louise was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on August 2, 1904. She studied at Middle Tennessee State and did nursing training at St. Thomas/Vanderbilt University Hospital. She was a registered surgical nurse at Vanderbilt.

William and Louise married December 10, 1928. They had three children, William, Margaret, and Sally who all attended Wilson Elementary. Tragically, when Sally was a second grader, she was hit and killed by a firetruck when she ran in the street while walking home from school. The Wilson School Library was named in Sally’s honor. From 1950 to 1985 Louise wrote “Hound Hill,” a weekly pet column for the Oklahoman. William and Louise remained in the home on 19th until 1949. William died June 27, 1986, at the age of 82. Louise died in February of 1990 at age 85.

After the home changed hands several times, it was purchased by Drs. Arthur and Debbie Steller, two educators who were superintendents of schools at Oklahoma City and Deer Creek respectively. The home was featured on the 2009 Home Tour.

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