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Postmaster’s house will be restored, declared historic site

 

LANDRUM—The home of a past postmaster of Landrum was moved on Monday and is being dedicated as a historic site. The John Austin House was set up at its new site on Redland Rd. on July 31, after being transported a little over half-a-mile from its original location.

John Austin built his home at 106 South Lyles Ave. in 1954 and lived there until his death in 2009. He served as postmaster of Landrum Post Office until his retirement.

At the time of Austin’s death, the house passed to Landrum First Baptist Church, which used it for housing various church members and functions throughout the years. A month ago, Shelley Dayton and her husband took ownership of the house. 

The church plans on building a youth center on the South Lyles Ave. lot.

The Daytons had the house moved to 105 Redland Rd. in Landrum, a new address created specifically for the home. They have plans to restore the structure, officially naming it The Austin House, and will place a historic plaque at the site.

The Daytons also own the Howard Glen House, the brick house across the street from the Landrum Library, which was built in 1941 by the Howard and Powell families. That property will be split with the John Austin House, which will rest behind the Howard Glen House.

Dayton described the move as “a little bit of local history, plus an opportunity to witness something most of us have never seen before.”

“We want to preserve and restore instead of build new,” Shelley said.