North Locust Street

You know I think Denton is a city eminently suited to strolling with the historic neighborhoods, interesting architecture spanning over 100 years, and the little nooks and crannies of local shops, restaurants, and weirdness, and today I’ll suggest you walk down the north side of Locust Street, between Congress and University.
“What’s so great about this stretch,” you ask? Well, you already know it's in a great neighborhood. The Greenhouse is on Locust Street, and The Cupboard is just one street west. Of course, one block east is Austin Street and just two streets east is the Emily Fowler Library - reasons enough you might say. However, north Locust has some really great little bits all its own.

One of those, the pagoda, inspired me. Yes – the pagoda on Locust Street. If you’ve lived in Denton for any amount of time, of course you know the building I’m talking about, and I’ll bet you’re as curious as I was. Well, I won’t satisfy your curiosity here, but in my next post.
Why not now?
Iris season has just started in Denton - the only flower your friendly neighborhood Dentonista can grow with any guaranteed success - and I saw those gorgeous white ones blooming in a surprise clump, right by the side walk. I also noticed a few species of bulbs coming up, and I don't want you to miss them. Once they're gone, they're gone for the year.

What else? How about this house? I really like this house.
I don’t have any stories about it, but I would love some information about this architectural style. In fact, I didn’t even know this was a style, until I saw a house just like it, with the bowed front wall and sunrise detailing in Lorena, TX. They could have been twins. What’s in Lorena, TX? Nothing I could see but a tiny little business district (Old Towne), about ¼ of a block and some fabulous old Texas architecture. Sprawling, huge houses, a bit run down, and still residential. One wonders what they might be worth, if they were located in a larger city?
Anywho.
You know how I love shouting, “To the Internet!” right before I research anything? Well, I do, and I think I’m a pretty good researcher. However, I couldn’t find a bit of info about this style of house. I don’t know if architecture is difficult to research, or if I just don’t posses the correct language to pose the queries. So, my dears (Pat C., I’m looking in your direction), if anyone has any info on this style – or know where any others like it are located – I would really love to hear from you.
Look what else I saw, just wandering around. Y'all that is a vintage fire engine. It sits outside a local insurance company's offices. You know, I like that too. If you wander down this street, you'll see lots of great houses (several bungalow style, I believe) that have been restored or maintained as businesses. When you stop to notice, there are a lot of businesses on this street, and they fit in beautifully, for the most part, with their residential neighbors. A really nice example of mixed use space, without breaking new ground or razing existing buildings or trees.
And, on that note, I'll leave you, my dears
Be sure to tune in next week to learn about that awesome pagoda.