Perkins-Long House

Perkins-Long House

The Perkins – Long House at 208 Coffee Street is both historically and architecturally significant because of its Queen Anne style and as the original home of one of DeQuincy’s earliest businessmen who founded and operated Perkins Drug Store.

The land on which the house was built was part of a parcel belonging to Edgewood Land and Logging Company. Developed by Thomas H. Clegg, the area was annexed by the Village of DeQuincy on November 5, 1907. Lot #9 of Block #6 changed hands several times before being acquired by Mr. J.J. and Mrs. Fannie Perkins who built the exquisite house in 1909, which stands there today. On September 13, 1909, John Erwin Perkins and his wife, Sarah Margaret Hanchey Perkins, purchased the home and resided there with their children. Sons, Pete and Carl, followed their father in the pharmacy profession, and Carl also served as a mayor of DeQuincy.

Following the death of John Perkins, the property was purchased by son Pete and his wife, Emily Chesson Perkins. The Perkins family occupied the house until 1968 when Mrs. Perkins sold the property to Mr. Edward Beyeaux. Subsequent owners included Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Rainwater and Vanessa Smith. The current owners, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas (Ollie Henagan) Long acquired the home in 1993.

One of DeQuincy’s oldest homes, the Perkins – Long House is of the Queen Anne architectural style. It has a large front porch, which extends from an octagonal bay wing across the front of the house. Detailed posts and trim accent the porch. The unusually high-pitched roof reaches high into surrounding large trees giving the house a storybook look.

The original house consisted of a long center hall separating a parlor, dining room and kitchen on one side with bedrooms and a bath on the other. All of the rooms have 12′ ceilings and ornate crown molding. Several additions in later years enlarged the house to include an additional bedroom and bath, and a rear porch was enclosed as a family living area; however, these renovations were made in keeping with the original style of the house and are hardly negligible as additions.

Visitors step back in time upon entering as Mr. and Mrs. Long have furnished the home with many period antiques.

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