HYPERLOCAL NEWS HUB BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM
Owner 'Chips' in Changes to the Largest House in C-Y
By Lindsey Lowry/MicroMemphis Reporter
By Lindsey Lowry/MicroMemphis Reporter
Chip Armstrong with his wife and oldest son.
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October 11, 2011
The “Captain Harris House” is the largest and second oldest house still standing in the Cooper Young neighborhood. It was built in 1898 (the oldest house was built in 1893, located at 1032 Cooper). When current owner Chip Armstrong bought the “Captain Harris House” in 1977, he just wanted a place to live that was big enough to store his tools. He owned a small maintenance business and needed a large but affordable house. He discovered the “Captain Harris” house for sale in the paper. After a successful business exchange with the house’s owner and the bank, he earned enough money to own the house. |
“The house was in poor condition when I moved in,” says Armstrong standing on the front lawn, arms crossed, looking at the 113-year-old house he has owned for the past 34 years.
The exterior wood and paint had been weathered and neglected. The interior was sectioned off into an eyesore of nine apartments (six upstairs and three downstairs) and there was also a garage efficiency, which Armstrong has since removed.
The walls previously sectioning off the downstairs apartments have now been removed. The downstairs is currently in its original open state with four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
In 1977, Armstrong, his wife, and three sons lived in the downstairs area when a bookstore owner proposed opening his business downstairs in the home. Armstrong and his family relocated to Whitehaven during the renovation.
The exterior wood and paint had been weathered and neglected. The interior was sectioned off into an eyesore of nine apartments (six upstairs and three downstairs) and there was also a garage efficiency, which Armstrong has since removed.
The walls previously sectioning off the downstairs apartments have now been removed. The downstairs is currently in its original open state with four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
In 1977, Armstrong, his wife, and three sons lived in the downstairs area when a bookstore owner proposed opening his business downstairs in the home. Armstrong and his family relocated to Whitehaven during the renovation.
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In preparation for the bookstore, Armstrong poured over $50,000 into the home. He decreased the number of apartments upstairs from nine to three and installed central heating and air in the entire house.
“After I made all these changes I thought, ‘Man! I want to move back in!’” Armstrong changed his mind about the bookstore and instead decided to move back into the house. Armstrong and his family lived in the house until it was time for his youngest child, his daughter Robyn, to move out of the home. He and his wife now own a condo in Downtown Memphis. However, they have reserved an efficiency upstairs for the themselves (pictured right). “It’s like our little love shack. We used it whenever we’re staying in the area during the weekend.” Only a bedroom and kitchen compose the efficiency. The bathroom is located in the community hallway shared with the other two upstairs apartments. One of the other upstairs apartments houses the tenant who has lived in the house for the longest amount of time, nearly all 29 years of his life. He is Lou Armstrong, Chip Armstrong’s oldest son. He has helped his father make renovations since he was old enough to be trusted with a hammer in his hand. Armstrong’s carpentry skills, acquired through owning his own maintenance company, have proven helpful with the numerous renovations: rebuilding the porch and painting the exterior nearly 10 times, building an iron rod fence around the property, and reconstructing walls to change the number of apartments. |
Armstrong in his personal efficiency.
Private getaway
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Armstrong says building the turret on the house has been the most significant renovation. This occurred in the early 1980s. Armstrong said that before the turret, that section of the roof used to be a flat area.
The house is familiar with extreme renovations. In 1925 the house was pivoted 90 degrees to face another direction. After facing Cooper street for 27 years, the house was turned to face Young street. The house was lifted up, placed on logs, and pulled by horses to face Young.
The house is familiar with extreme renovations. In 1925 the house was pivoted 90 degrees to face another direction. After facing Cooper street for 27 years, the house was turned to face Young street. The house was lifted up, placed on logs, and pulled by horses to face Young.
Kitchen of the personal efficiency
Personal touches in their private getaway
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History
According to the history book Cooper-Young: A community that works by authors Lisa Lumb and Jim Kovarik, the “Captain Haris House” was built in 1898 by real estate developer Frank Trimble. It is the largest house in the neighborhood, sitting on a hill and surrounded by three acres of land. In 1909 most of the land was sold to the city to be used for Peabody school. Trimble lived in the house until Captain Harris, a Ripley, Mississippi resident purchased it in 1900. The Harris family lived there until 1935 for four generations. During WWII the house was used as an officers club for Second Army Headquartered at the fairgrounds. From 1960-1977 Lumbermen’s Association housed men from around the nation so they could learn about the hardwood lumber business. Then in 1977 Armstrong bought the house from Lumbermen’s Association. Today Prospective renters interested in living in the downstairs portion of the Captain Harris House may be excited to know that it may be vacant in a couple of months. Four men involved with the Teach for America program currently occupy the entire downstairs area of the home. However, their two year contract with the program is set to expire once the school year ends in May. |
Armstrong says there is a slight possibility that he and his wife may move back to the house in the near future, but he believes the downstairs area is too big for just the two of them. He says they are
content with the downtown condo they live in now and are not interested in the struggle they would face in trying to sell their downtown condo in today's struggling market. People interested in living in the Captain Harris house may have a strong chance of moving into the house in May because Armstrong says he and his wife most likely will stay in their downtown condo for a few more years.
content with the downtown condo they live in now and are not interested in the struggle they would face in trying to sell their downtown condo in today's struggling market. People interested in living in the Captain Harris house may have a strong chance of moving into the house in May because Armstrong says he and his wife most likely will stay in their downtown condo for a few more years.
Read about Cooper-Young History
For more information about the history of Cooper-Young, visit the Cooper-Young Community Association or purchase the book entitled "Cooper-Young" from Burke's or other local bookstores.
Dig for More Memphis History... Online
The Memphis Public Library is putting thousands of historical pictures of Memphis online. The best part - it's all searchable! Click here to see how a Cooper-Young archivist is at the center of this effort to preserve and share history.
Lindsey Lowry / MicroMemphis Reporter
