18 Design Features of A. Hays Town Style Houses

In case you missed it in their August issue last month, Southern Living Magazine revealed their annual home awards honoring the South’s best architecture and design, and revering who and what defines the new Southern style.  Included in this year’s accolades, Southern Living announced its first-ever prize named after the late A. Hays Town, well-regarded as the South’s premier Architect whose distinctive design style captured the essence of classic Louisiana residential architecture.

A. Hays Town

Final Residential Masterpiece by A. Hays Town

Some of the finest elements of Louisiana’s rich architectural past and diverse culture are said to have inspired Town’s traditional residential designs.  His earlier residential projects reflected colonial and Georgian influences while incorporating his keen sense of proportion and symmetry, as well as using beautiful old salvaged materials that added texture and created interest in new construction.  The cultural ways of life in south Louisiana were primary inspirations that became apparent in his later style of work, reflecting designs reminiscent of the classic Acadian cottages, historical Creole houses of New Orleans, and time-honored Spanish interior courtyards and fountains.

 

Hays Town, Acadian House

Classic Acadian Style House

Mahtook Home, Lafayette, Louisiana, Hays Town

The Mahtook Home demonstrates the distinctive Louisiana vernacular style developed by A. Hays Town

A. Hays Town, Louisiana architecture

This classic Southern home, designed by A. Hays Town, is reminiscent of a way of life that goes back to Louisiana’s roots.

A. Hays Town, New Orleans architecture

This New Orleans style home is said to be one of the last residences designed by A. Hays Town

Brick fountain courtyard, A. Hays Town

A brick fountain courtyard is an A. Hays Town trademark feature of this home.

A. Hays Town, courtyard, fountain, pool, cabana

A beautiful courtyard with fountains, pool, and cabana

And, his signature use of reclaimed and recycled old building materials continually give a relaxed, graceful character to his new houses with modern-day amenities.  Mr. Town certainly had an innate ability of bridging traditional architecture with modern living, where it is noticeable in the kitchens that he designed.

Hays Town, kitchen, copper vent hood

A custom made copper vent hood over the cooktop is a stunning feature in this Cook’s kitchen.

A. Hays Town, antique brick, cypress cabinetry

Double wall ovens surrounded by antique brick flank cypress cabinetry in this Hays Town designed kitchen.

A. Hays Town, kitchen, antique cypress beams

This kitchen is classic Hays Town, with antique boards above massive exposed cypress beams

Of over an estimated five hundred residences that Town is noted to have designed, only twenty-five homes were selected and featured in the book, “The Louisiana Houses of A. Hays Town,” with text by Cyril E. Vetter, and beautiful photographs by Philip Gould.  It was published by Louisiana State University Press.  This is one of my favorite pictorial reference books in-house, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning about the traditional architecture of Louisiana.  There is not a whole lot of text in this book, however, it includes two hundred images, so it’s sort of like having a printed out version of a Pinterest board.  But even without a litany of descriptions about the architectural details, and that his design intent is not always spelled out for you, this collection of lovely pictures alone speaks volumes about the essence of Town’s concepts and foresight.  I have always been captivated at how much information is being conveyed through the color photos in this book, and I often refer to its pages for design inspiration.

The Louisiana Houses of A. Hays Town

Although all of the houses in this book are different from one another, there is definitely a common recipe, a distinctive Creole flavor, a typical list of ingredients of French-Acadian features found in each home.  In local Cajun cooking, lots of fresh onions, green bell pepper, celery, garlic, parsley and green onions are the vegetable seasonings that are important to almost all dishes.  Similar in concept, below is a short list of only eighteen trademark design features of an A. Hays Town style house, which included exterior elements that were just as important as the interior spaces to the overall design:

 

  1.   Slate Roofs with Ridge Tiles,
  2.   Large Gallery Porches with Deep Overhangs,
  3.   13’-high Ceilings with Old Warehouse Wood Beams,
  4.   Exterior French Doors with Full-length Operable Shutters,
  5.   Large Gallery Porches with Deep Overhangs,
  6.   Walls of Large Windows,
  7.   Interior Brick Walls Painted White,
  8.   Arched Doorways,
  9.   Antique Brick Floors with a Special Beeswax Finish,
  10.   Reclaimed Old Wide Plank Heart Pine Wood Floors,
  11.   Antique Cypress Doors and Cabinetry,
  12.   Bevolo French Quarter Gas Lanterns,
  13.   Porch Swings, Wooden Rockers, and Old Church Pews,
  14.   Massive Antique French Olive Jars,
  15.   Hand-carved Religious Artifacts and Niches for Statues,
  16.   Landscaped Interior Courtyards with Fountains and Crepe Myrtles,
  17.   Weathered Fences, Concrete Statuaries, and Sugar Kettles,
  18.   and, a Pigeonnier (dovecote) in the Yard.

This list above is not all-inclusive of the design ‘ingredients’ that Mr. Town used in his residential projects.  But from it, you get a sense of what he typically included in his design ‘recipes’, especially using salvaged and recovered old building materials from warehouses, barns, and railroad yards.  Here’s a visual breakdown of these components:

Slate Roof, ridge tiles, A. Hays Town

Roof slates lend a distinct flavor of France.

reclaimed, antique, heart pine, timber

Reclaimed antique heart pine timbers and boards

A. Hays Town, gallery porch, French doors, shutters

Designed by Town, the Bridges House reflects his signature trademarks, having a deep gallery porch with French doors and shutters, Bevolo lantern, rockers, and an olive jar.

A. Hays Town, window walls

Walls of large windows bring nature inside.

A. Hays Town, brick walls, arched doorways

White-painted brick walls and arched doorways in a Hays Town house.

reclaimed antique brick

Close-up of reclaimed antique brick

 

salvaged heart pine wood floors

Close-up of salvaged heart pine wood floors

Bevolo, French Quarter, Gas Lantern, A. Hays Town

Bevolo French Quarter Gas Lantern

Porch rockers

Porch rockers testify to easy comfort.

Antique French Olive Jars, A. Hays Town

Massive antique French olive jars are staples of Hays Town porches.

niche for statue, A. Hays Town

A niche for a statue, often of St. Francis of Assisi, is a typical Town touch.

weathered fence, statuary, crepe myrtle, sugar kettle, fountain, A. Hays Town

Weathered fence, statuary, crepe myrtle, and sugar kettle fountain

Crepe Myrtle Bloom

I took this picture of a crepe myrtle bloom in our garden. I call this shade the Hays Town color.

Pigeonnier, dovecote, Ken Tate, Louisiana, A. Hays Town

This pigeonnier (French for ‘dovecote’) is used as a playhouse by the owner’s grandchildren.

You have probably already figured out that over the years, I have researched and compiled a list of local vendors, suppliers, and manufacturers for the types of building and construction materials found in the design features of a Hays Town style house.  Many of our clients who admire his work have asked about where they might find antique brick, reclaimed wood, lighting fixtures, and accessories that are typical features a Hays Town style house.  The following are a few local resources that might be helpful to you, especially if you’re a treasure hunter or scavenger of old building materials.

 

There are so many more incredible local resources that I could not list all of them.  Do you have any favorite ‘go-to’ antique stores or places where you have come across old salvaged building materials that can be recycled or re-purposed into a new home or renovation project?  Feel free to share!

XO,

Trisha

Comments

  1. Question? Is the home at the corner of Edwards and Andrus Streets in Opelousas, LA a authentic A. Hays Town home?

    • Hi John. I’m not personally familiar with that particular home in Opelousas, however, as I understand, the Foundation for Historical Louisiana has files on A. Hays Town’s residences. They’ve identified, authenticated, and land-marked many of his houses with a ‘Register of Residence’ mark, and if there is a plaque on the home you’re referencing, then I would imagine that it is an authentic A. Hays Town home. If you’d like to confirm with the Foundation for Historical Louisiana, they’re located in the Old Governor’s Mansion at 502 North Boulevard in Baton Rouge, LA, and their phone number is (225) 387-2464, or email them at info@fhl.org. Thank you for your question, and I hope this helps. – Trisha

  2. Mark Catsban says

    Iworked on a house across lake pounchatrain from New Orleans in 1990 that Mr. Hays did.What were the chances of a guy from Birmingham knowing him.I have told people about that house ever since.

    • Hi Mark!
      That’s interesting. There are several houses around in St. Tammany Parish on the Northshore area of New Orleans that are known to be designed by Mr. A. Hays Town. Do you recall if the house you worked on was in Covington, LA?

  3. A. Hays Town is an architect master. Look at his work with master architect N.W. Overstreet in Jackson, MS up until 1938 before he came to Baton Rouge. One such Jackson, MS masterpiece is Bailey School.
    Mr. Town could have gone in any direction with his architecture and been a genius.

    • You’re so right, Jimmy! I’d gone to an exhibit in Baton Rouge about his life’s work a couple of years ago, and was fascinated by his architectural drawings while he was at N.W. Overstreet in Mississippi. His hand-drawn details on the Office Building for Plaza Investment Co in Jackson, MS, were amazing, and I’ve been wanting to take a road trip to see the building in person. I’d love to see the Bailey School, too. I’m a big fan of Art Deco and mid-century architecture, as well as Mr. Town’s well-known ‘Creole Cottage’ style. I’m very interested in seeing some of his earlier architectural work in MS. He was definitely a genius Master Architect! Thanks so much for your comment! – Trisha

  4. Trish:

    I know of a house designed by A. Hays Town in Natchez, Ms. I spoke to the previous owner’s son who confirmed the house was designed by A. Hayes Town, it’s absolutely gorgeous. Are you familiar? It’s actually used as the VFW now…I wished I would have bought it years ago…It really needs to be a home.

    • Hi Angela! I’m not familiar with the particular house that you’re referring to, but it sounds interesting and I’d like to see it, too. Does the VFW own the house now? I had a hard time finding a physical address for it to see images online. You might want to contact the Mississippi Department of Archives and History to let them know of this house so that they can include it on a listing that documents the homes and other works designed by A. Hays Town throughout Mississippi. I’m sure they’d like to have that information in their record report as well. This is a link to the MDAH Staff Directory – http://www.mdah.ms.gov/new/about/contact-us/staff-directory/. Thank you so much for your comment about a ‘Town Style’ treasure! 🙂 – Trisha

  5. Melinda Mangham says

    My home in Lafayette is a quintessential Hays Town home…and it wraps its arms around you. Homes designed by Mr. Town are wonderful homes in which to live…absolute joy…as well as teaching its inhabitants to appreciate the gifts and talents of the man who designed it.

    • Hi Melinda! I can only imagine how wonderful it must feel to live in an A. Hays Town home! I think his houses are cultural treasures, too. Thank you so much for your comment. 🙂 – Trisha

      • Hi Trisha!

        I agree with you on living in a A. Hays Town home…I’ve been in several in Mississippi where I am from. One in Columbia has just sold to a couple from New York who wanted a home by him…evidently you can find anything online! The scale, portions and craftsmanship were incredible I was in awe at young age. It has a more formal feel rather than his “creole cottage” style but still amazing!

  6. Kevin McLaren says

    I don’t know how many homes he designed outside of Louisiana but one is around the corner from me in Arlington, Texas. I’d always admired the house but had never been inside until our friends bought it. Constructed in 1985, it has all of his design elements, inside and out, but I’d assumed it was a quality copy until our friends showed me the original plans that the previous (original) owners conveyed. I was blown away when I saw his name on them. Typical of his work, it’s perfection.

    • Hi Kevin! That’s so interesting! A couple of years after I’d written this post, I’d come across a partial listing of multiple residential properties compiled by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana that includes a couple of his houses built in Beaumont, Texas. I’ll bet that the FHL would consider adding your friend’s home in Arlington, TX, to that listing, especially since there are original plans that can be referenced! If he wants to get in touch with them, their website is https://preserve-louisiana.org/. They might even send him a plaque that identifies his house as an A. Hays Town home, too. In 2015, the AIA Louisiana chapter sponsored a wonderful exhibit of Mr. Town’s works, which included some of his architectural drawings. They were pieces of artwork themselves, can I tell ya?!! I’ll bet there are more of his architectural gems in Texas to be discovered. Thanks for sharing that lagniappe, too! 🙂 – Trisha

  7. Tabb Graham Humphreys says

    Hello! Wonderful article. Do you happen to know (or know of someone who might) what Mr. Town’s special beeswax brick floor finish is? Recipe? Is a penetrable sealant used first? I am getting ready to install a brick entry hall floor and would like to finish them in his style.
    Thank you!

    • Hey Tabb! You might contact Mr. Al Jones, Architect, in Baton Rouge, LA (https://aljonesarchitect.com/), who was an apprentice to Mr. A. Hays Town over 40 years ago. He is an acclaimed architect whose work incorporates many of the features and finish materials learned from the master architect. I’ve also come across a very nice residential project with a split brick floor that was initially stained and then has several layers of a special mixture of bees wax applied in the same method used in Mr. A. Hays Town’s projects. Virginia W. Kelsey, AIA, was the architect on the Memorial Residence, that has a kitchen with this beeswax brick floor finish (see at this link – http://www.virginiakelsey.com/KM1.html). As I understand, she used a local Houston masonry company, QTS (http://www.masonrycare.com/aboutus/), for this particular installation, since they’ve been trained with the Louisiana masons and craftsmen who worked for and used to install the brick floors for Mr. Town. I believe the special bees wax mixture is a proprietary recipe, but you might try contacting either of these architects or QTS directly with specific questions. Hope this helps! 🙂 – Trisha

  8. Joe Dan Draffen says

    Have you seen his early projects in Jackson MS? Bailey Magnate School and Bankers Trust Plaza? A fine house on Hathorne Drive. Late 1930s through 40s. Young man then and worked for Overstreet and Ware

    • Hi Joe! Ever since I saw framed blueprints of his architectural drawings of the Banker’s Trust Building that were included in an exhibit a few years ago in Baton Rouge, I’ve been wanting to take a road trip to Jackson, MS to see the magnificent Art Deco style building in person. Hopefully, we’ll take a little vacay there sometime soon. Thanks so much for your comment! – Trisha

  9. Charlie Lange says

    Is A. Hays town still building homes? I sell Sinker Cypress and I know that the old growth tidewater cypress is getting hard to find. I would appreciate it if someone could help me get any information on this, Thanks, Charlie Lange I am at: 985-626-3668.

    • Hello Charlie! No, Mr. Albert Hays Town passed away in January 2005, at the age of 101. As I understand, his last design was the LSU Steele Burden Memorial Orangerie in Baton Rouge, which opened in 1998. I believe two of his grandsons, Christopher A. Town and Adam Town, work in the construction industry in the Greater Baton Rouge area. Thank you for providing your information as a resource for old growth sinker cypress. Hope this helps! – Trisha

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  1. […] materials found in homes designed by A. Hays Town, a renowned Louisiana architect.  I wrote a previous post where you can get an idea of features and design elements found in his residential projects.  The […]

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