About Ruston

The Townsend House is one of the two oldest buildings original to Ruston that is still standing, and is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Originally built in Vienna, the house was moved to Ruston around 1885, according to the Lincoln Parish Museum and Historical Society. The home was originally a parsonage for the Baptist Church of Christ.

The Townsend family moved into the home in 1920. Mr. H.E. Townsend was very influential in the city area of education for the city of Ruston. He helped to found the first high school in Ruston, and was the first principal of the school, serving for 34 years until his retirement.

Although the outside structure may look atypical, the layout of the architecture is quite straightforward. The home has a central hallway with two rooms on either side of it. An “L” shaped addition was constructed to add a sunroom and bathroom, and the front parlor and back dining room protrude from the basic square structure, giving the home its asymmetrical appearance. This lovely home of Queen Anne Revival architecture is a historical ornament to the city of Ruston, and today is the home of Townsend House Gifts.