To spot the Matthews-Godt House, look for a cozy brick house with a screened porch on the left and steep, shaded gables, all nestled under large leafy trees.
Step up to the Matthews-Godt House and you’re stepping back to 1928-imagine the roar of a sleek car as Justin Matthews himself inspects this brand new home, showing off the split-level design before it was considered “cool.” With its English Revival flair and brick veneer, this house was practically a trendsetter, strutting its stuff long before the 1950s split-level boom hit the rest of America. You can almost hear the hum of conversation between Matthews and his architect, Frank Carmean, as they plotted to give Park Hill its elegant Edgemont look-“Frank, make it classy but make it homey!” Designed to be a showpiece for a modern neighborhood, this house became a hidden treasure, as if the past was carefully tucked under the shadows of these gigantic oak trees. Generations have admired the clever mix of old-world charm and 20th-century innovation here, and the National Register of Historic Places finally said, “Alright, you’re on the list!” in 1992. Who knows what new stories these brick walls will hear next -maybe yours?
