William L. Hawkins, the son of area pioneer settlers, and his wife Emma (Barker) purchased land and a house here in 1892. They removed the original structure in 1901 and hired local wood artisan Will Price to build this house. Made of imported cypress timber, it was completed in 1903. It features an asymmetrical Queen Anne design and ornate wood trim hand carved by Price. Prominent businessman Tom Dees and his wife Mattie (Hawkins) purchased the house in 1905, and in 1913 the property was acquired by Edward and Mollie Byrd. It remained in the Byrd family until 1957.