Woodrum-Boyd House
Denton, Denton County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In 1932, newlyweds Elbert Norfleet "E.N." Woodrum (1901-1955) and Comette Josephine (Ramsey) Woodrum (1910-1986) hired contractors to construct a Tudor Revival house. Notable architectural features include asymmetrical cross gables, a large three-story chimney placed prominently on the south elevation, and a wide plank oak front door with a tudor arch and leaded glass window featuring diagonally arranged panes. The original designer is unknown, but architect Clyde H. Griesenbeck (1892-1970), known for this style in Dallas and Highland Park, was commissioned to expand the house in 1937. The Woodrums also hired Griesenbeck in 1946 to make updates to a commercial building they owned in Denton. The Woodrums had three children. Ila Mae (Wadley) Boyd (1900-1969) and her husband, Judge Benjamin Wade Boyle (1894-1964), were both influential members of the community. They moved into the home in 1949 and called it "Boyd's Nest," where they raised two children. Mae Wadley Boyd was an active member and leader in women's clubs and was a supporter of the College of Industrial Arts (later Texas Woman's University) in Denton. She was elected president of both the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs and Texas State College for Women Alumni Association. Governor Price Daniel named her as a delegate to the 1960 White House Conference on Youth and Children. In 1925, Benjamin W. Boyd became the judge of the 19th District Court of Texas, serving Denton and Cooke counties. In 1952, he was appointed Associate Justice to the 2nd District Courts of Civil Appeals in Fort Worth. After the Boyds moved out in 1963, several subsequent owners were associated with Texas Woman's University. After restoration to its original appearance, the house was designated a City of Denton Historic Landmark in 2017. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2019
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1932 for newlyweds E.N. and Comette Woodrum, this Tudor Revival house in Denton shows off asymmetrical gables, a soaring three-story chimney, and a leaded-glass front door, later expanded by noted Dallas architect Clyde Griesenbeck. Its most prominent resident, Mae Wadley Boyd, led both the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs and the Texas State College for Women alumni association, and served as a delegate to a 1960 White House youth conference. Restored to its original look, the home became a Denton landmark in 2017.
Why it matters
The house links fine period architecture to the civic leadership of Texas clubwomen, whose organizing shaped education and community life well before women held formal political power.
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Related people
- · Mae Wadley Boyd
- · Benjamin Wade Boyle
Themes & tags
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