The home was built in 1922 at a cost of $17,000 by Mr. and Mrs. John F. Ausbury. John was vice president of the Western Bank Supply. They remained in the home until 1925.

From 1929 to 1942 the home was owned by Mr. and Mrs. N. Bert Smith, who built an addition on the north side for a library. During World War II, the home was occupied by Harrietta Roberson, known as a religious leader who originated a radio show broadcast from the Skirvin Tower. She prayed for service men overseas and accepted requests for prayers from parents, wives, and children. She conducted prayer circles in the home on 17th, gathering servicemen's loved ones in a circle and praying for their safety. She also kept a pet monkey, long remembered by the next owners who had to clean up the mess. Subsequent owners included Laura Ambrose, who became president of John A. Browns Department Stores, and Carol and Dean Stringer who purchased the home in 1974 and lived there with their two children, Craig and Laura.

Constructed of multi-colored brick, this home is perched majestically on top of the hill overlooking both Hudson Avenue and Seventeenth Street. It is built in the style of an Italian villa and includes a hipped-style red tile roof, decorative exposed rafter tails and copper-clad palladian dormer windows. The front terrace which follows the entire length of the front porch is guarded by a beautifully decorated concrete balustrade with a faceted concrete cap. The primary entrance is covered by an arched portico crowned by a concrete entablature. The terrace also has four sets of French windows with beautifully detailed leaded glass overdoors as well as two pairs of French windows opening from the sunroom.

The interior plan of this home is a modified "dog trot", a center entry hall with stairwell, a living room to one side, a dining room to the other with a rear entrance. The entrance features a beautifully-proportioned entry hall with a steep set of stairs ascending to the second floor. There are beautiful moldings and baseboards as well as the wall sconces on either side of the front door. The living room boasts beautifully-detailed crown moldings and baseboards as well as faceted moldings applied to the walls. The fireplace is built of ornamental Italian tiles. The living room opens on the east to a cheerful sunroom which had a wet bar that was added by previous owners. To the north of the living room is a library which was added by N. Bert Smith, another previous owner, in themid-1930's. It opens onto the rear gardens.

The dining room crown moldings are comprised of ten separate pieces of wood intricately assembled like a puzzle. The breakfast room, a cheery window-lined room on the west of the house, has another Italian tile fireplace. The kitchen, the butler's pantry and a powder room complete the downstairs. The upstairs is composed of a master suite which has a sitting room, a bedroom, a dressing room and master bath as well as two suites for the children.

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