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Live Oak is set in a historic house that was built in 1915, with outdoor Live Oak trees that are over 120 years old. Before this home became Live Oak’s, it was the center of life for families before it. On the walls inside Live Oak, you’ll see pictures of memories made from families who lived here in the early 1900s and the house in its early years.
The history of the Live Oak home starts with the Orr family. Roy C Orr (Born in 1891, Mississippi), an oil filter salesman, and his wife, Artie King Orr (Born in 1889, Panhandle County, Texas ) lived in the Live Oak house with Artie's mother and brother from 1923 until 1930. Throughout this time, Roy and Artie accepted lodgers into their home. Many of the lodgers worked on the railroad, some were photographers, others were esquires, and some worked at hotels and did clerical work. The lodgers hailed from around the world, including North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Japan. Some of the lodgers were traveling the world and needed a place to stay during this time, and others had just relocated to the area. In 1930, sisters Ora Thompson (Born in 1890), Era Thompson (Born in 1901), and Ruby Mae Thompson Boyle (Born in 1904), and Ruby Mae's husband, T.H. Boyle, bought the Live Oak home for $6,500, combined. The creative and artistic sisters loved jazz music and would take trips to New York to hear jazz and enjoy the sights. Era Thompson was a hand model and wrote pieces on why women should model, and Ruby Mae was in ballet and practiced the dance at home with her family. From holidays, to dinner parties, to expanding their families, to living their dreams, Live Oak was where lifetime memories were made for those who lived here. The home was purchased by Live Oak founders from Ruby Mae’s daughter, Constance Beard, in 1999, the year that Live Oak was born. Today, Live Oak is a place where historic memories are preserved, and new memories are made. |
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