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Designed as an American Foursquare house with Craftsman details, the Gallagher House is a local example of an early 20th century upper-middle class home. The two-story frame home features a hipped roof with central dormer, exposed rafter tails, and full-width front porch supported by box columns. The year of construction, 1917, is in raised plaster numbers on the dormer.
Vincent Bernard “V.B.” Gallagher (1870-1940) and his wife, Mary Ann “Mamie” (Scanlan) (1871-1964), built the home to accommodate their large and active family. V.B. Gallagher was a civic and business leader. Owner of the town’s oldest continuously operated business, the Wylie Insurance Group, he also served as a director and officer of the First National Bank of Wylie. When the first schoolhouse was built in Wylie, Gallagher became secretary of the school board. A few years later, he became treasurer. However, his most impactful civic endeavor was promoting the construction of a dam on the East Fork of the Trinity River. He and the Commercial Club of Wylie presented the most effective solution for Dallas’ water supply problem. The reservoir is now known as Lake Lavon.
In 1943, after V.B. Gallagher’s death, Ollie Addington (1903-1973) and his wife, Emma (Locke) Addington (1907-1977), moved into the house and welcomed the Wylie community into their home, hosting many events and social gatherings over 20 years of ownership. Ollie Addington was a Lions Club member, school board trustee and two-term city councilman. Emma Addington was first president of the Wylie Garden Club and held leadership positions on various church committees.
RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK – 2019
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