<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Mary Vivian Davis, a visual-minded artist, admits she has over-collected a few things through the years. However, items in her home, known as the Rock House, are so well placed and engaging, every room and nook offers an enchanting visual feast.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">George Taylor and Elmira Hughes Rock, Sr. were one of Lake Charles’ pioneering families. They were among a group who came from Vinton, Iowa in the 1800s.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">This is when families were being wooed to move to Southwest Louisiana by Jabez Bunting Watkins, a salesmen who pitched the advantages of the area’s natural resources, including farm land, to families from Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Kansas.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">One of George and Elmira’s eight children was George Rock, Jr. George Rock, Jr. married Edna Bier in the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in 1900, according to “Early Homes of Lake Charles,” by Lloyd Barras. It was the first marriage performed in the church. They built their home at 903 Kirby soon after – and expanded it later to make more room for their 13 children.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Mary became friends with the two youngest Rock sisters, Elmira and Elnora, now deceased, after contacting them to further explore her home’s history. Mary purchased the Rock house in 1991.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“I had always wanted to buy an older two-story home,” she said.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">When she walked into this one, she quickly realized two things. It would take time to restore the 90-year-old structure. Walls and ceilings were covered with peeling wallpaper. The kitchen would require a complete remodel. Yet Mary recognized the great value in the home’s long leaf yellow pine alone. The house was double-walled and constructed of long leaf yellow pine. Soon she began restoration and eventually added a garage.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Mary received a Calcasieu Commendation Award for her garage addition, an award that recognizes outstanding examples of new construction that enhance historic areas of Calcasieu Parish. The home was added to the Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society Landmark List in 1994. In 1999 it was on the Palm Sunday Tour of Homes — before renovations were complete. And it was on the most recent Palm Sunday Tour.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The Harmony Kingdom figurines Mary collects make a perfect metaphor for the house. Like those intricate little containers, the exterior of the Rock House is detailed, well crafted and charming. Exterior features of the house include diamond-shaped leaded glass windowpanes, the wrapping porch, turned spandrels and balustrades, original screen doorframes and a semi circular arch with keystone over the third-story window.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Inside every Harmony Kingdom collectible is a quirky surprise that relates to the artist and/or the container’s character. The same could be said of the Rock House.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">From paintings to locust shells…antiques to quartz…wooden boxes and bowls to books on every topic under the sun…Chinese amulets to a movie poster advertising the cult classic, “Eraser Head,” Mary has treasures aplenty without any one area, artwork or vignette overwhelming the other.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Spread out among the vignettes and curiosities are a couple of white ceramic heads, a pair of wooden articulated arms and a single wooden hand posed as if to grab a coffee cup from a Bill Iles painting.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“I guess my taste may seem a little eccentric,” Mary said, grinning.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Several local artists were well represented throughout the rooms of the house. Some of Davis’ work is displayed.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“I love to explore new and different things,” Davis said.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">That accounts for the variety of books tucked away in shelves here and there. Currently Mary is enjoying creating encaustic art, a mixed media that uses small found objects and molten beeswax. She also took a glass blowing class in New Orleans just because it sounded interesting.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Local architect Jude Benoit helped design the complete kitchen remodel.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Mary Davis’ house is a classic example of Stick Style or Eastlake Architecture, named after Architect Charles Eastlake,” Benoit said. “Kitchens of that period were utilitarian spaces usually separate from the main house and never meant to be seen by guests. They were not the heart of the house where everyone gathers as they do today.” Benoit’s first thought was, if kitchens back then were a more public part of the house as they are today what might one look like?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“With that in mind we opened it up to the to the rest of the house and used Eastlake and Victorian details that would never have been used in a utilitarian kitchen of the period.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The spacious area features a large kitchen island, stainless appliances, deep drawers rather than cabinet doors and plenty of storage, including under stair storage. Surfaces are granite and built higher than the average.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Mary is joined in her gingerbread style house by her two English springer spaniels, aptly named Hansel and Gretel. Chat Blanc wondered up as a kitten and keeps a safe distance from strangers.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Mary’s answer to what makes a house a home is simple.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Because it’s me,” she answered with her trademark grin.</span><p>The Rock House was built in 1901 for the son of one of Lake Charles’ pioneering families</p>