National and State Registers of Historic Places
Mugan-Olmsted House
819 Avalon Rd.
Lawrence (Douglas County)
Listed in National Register
Mar 27, 2017
Architect: Patrick Mugan
Category: single dwelling
Thematic Nomination: Historic Resources of Lawrence (2001)
The Mugan-Olmsted House is significant as an example of a residence that evolved during development patterns associated with the growth of Lawrence between 1866 and 1956. Patrick Mugan, a trained stonemason, built the first portion of the house around 1866 as a gable-front dwelling. The house was soon expanded, taking on a gable-front-and-wing form. This form was a common building type in the mid-1800s and the two-story version was mostly popular in the northeastern and midwestern states. The Mugan-Olmsted House is atypical in this form due to its construction of stone rather than wood, which was more common. The house continued to change through its ownership by the Mugan and Olmsted families, acquiring a front porch, south sunporch, interior bathrooms, and millwork.
