In 1903 Richard Vose was a 27-year old businessman raised in Maine and living in Iowa. An uncle, William Bierce, had recently moved to the territorial boom town of Oklahoma City, where he started the Southwest Cotton Oil Company. When his uncle asked him to join him in the venture, young Vose packed his bags, and with his wife Lyda and three-year-old son, Charles, joined the exodus to the fastest growing city in the nation. Richard was related to Alden Vose, who built the Mediterranean style home at 400 NW 16th.

After arriving in town, Vose purchased the lot at 433 NW 14th and constructed a two-story frame home similar to others on the block. It was a simple combination of Prairie farm and Victorian-era styles, with a steeply pitched roof, simple lines, and functional arrangement of rooms. Meanwhile, Vose and his uncle purchased the lots across the street at 436 NW 14th.

In 1908 Vose and his family moved to a new home across the street and sold the frame dwelling for $12,000. The new owners were Mr. and Mrs. Homer Crawford, relatives of the Crawfords who lived in the two houses to the east. They remained only a few years, however, and the house eventually passed to Mr. and Mrs. George Rose.

Rose, who was vice president of George K. Williams and Company, vice president of the Equitable Farm Mortgage Company, and treasurer of the Bass Furniture Company, decided to modernize the home. He took out a building permit for $3000, and acting as his own contractor, converted the frame home into a stucco finished Spanish Colonial style dwelling. Elements of the new design included a curvilinear gable over the front entryway, corner pilasters, and a Spanish-Mission style porch. Vestiges of the original structure can be seen only in the roofline and the vertical emphasis of the house.

The Roses remained in the home until 1960. The next year it was purchased by Yvonne and L. Melvin Decker. Soon after moving in, Decker became secretary of the Classen Winans Neighborhood Association in the early 1960s hosting meetings in their family home. He later served on the Board of Historical Preservation, Inc. The Deckers remodeled, rebuilt the kitchen, enclosed an open porch, and created a plant room. In 1986 it was purchased by Debra Monard, who installed new windows, added heat and air, replumbed, and reconstructed the second floor.

Current homeowners Tom and Elizabeth Richards brightened the large living room by removing large, dark, and overpowering bookcases. They also painted walls and exchanged dark window coverings for drapes and interior shutters that let in natural light. The result is a welcoming, light filled home that the Richards have furnished tastefully with inviting furniture and art.

Elizabeth is a Master Gardener and passionate about the outdoors, and the art they have chosen reflects this. The Richards have purchased nature sculptures from the Prix de West competition and pictures from Oklahoma City art festivals. In keeping with her love of being outside, they put in an outdoor kitchen. There are family items throughout the home, such as an antique phone from Elizabeth‘s family and plates given as wedding gifts to her grandmother.

When you walk through the front door of the Richards home, you are aware of the history of the home. The expansive entry hall is a reminder of its roots in a gracious more formal past. A beautiful stairway leads to a broad landing with a stunning stained glass window, an invitation to pause a moment and appreciate its beauty.

Tom and Elizabeth love living in the city. They walk to church and restaurants, and to visit with friends. They love sitting on the deep front porch which first attracted them to this home. They love the neighborliness of front porch living, exchanging waves and chatting with people passing by, or simply sipping a cold drink on a hot day.

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