Designed by El Paso's own Otto Thorman, as a partner in the firm of Thorman and Thompson, this magnificent 2-story manor was built for A.L. McKnight, a General Agent for the Aetna Life Insurance Co. McKnight was in charge of sales for West Texas and New Mexico, and chose to move to El Paso because of the city's excellent weather. He moved from his old hometown of St. Louis, MO, stating: "The El Paso climate brought us back. We intend to live here permanently."
The home is another in a parade of residences created by Thorman, one of El Paso's most prolific and creative architectural minds. Erection cost was $25,000 and the General Contractor was the Ramey Brothers for this Spanish designed brick/stucco home, located on Pennsylvania Circle in Austin Terrace. The entire first floor features a terrazo marble floor, and the home has two fireplaces - one interior and one exterior. The interior fireplace is a full 4 feet 8 inches wide. When built, the roof of the three car garage was a dance floor, accessible from the second story of the home.
The home, featuring a trademark circular dome in the front, appears to be in excellent condition at 90 years of age.
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Text and research provided to Sketchclub.net by Mark Stone, citing period newspaper articles accessed from newspapers.com
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| Google Earth Street View accessed 2020 |
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| Google Earth Street View accessed 2020 |
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| Google Earth Street View accessed 2020 |
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| Google Earth Street View accessed 2020 |
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| Clipping from the El Paso Evening Post 03/06/1930, via newspapers.com |
