Prominently sited on a large corner lot, this is one of the best remaining Prairie-style residences in Riverside.  For those who are unfamiliar with the Prairie School of Architecture and who find its concepts rather esoteric, the virtuosity of the design of this house may serve as a revelation.  The Prairie School architects sought a purely American architecture, using sweeping horizontal lines as a metaphor for the frontier spirit of the plains of the Midwest, which to them represented the ideal of democracy.  "Borrowed" classical styles were replaced by a cubist geometry, in which the interior functions relate to the exterior structure.  The broad overhanging eaves and the extensive windows provide natural heat, ventilation, and illumination in the summer the sun has a much higher angle in the sky and so the eaves provide shade; in winter the sun is lower and the windows admit heat and light;  when it rains, the roof acts as an awning so that the windows can still remain open. Instead of Corinthian columns and frivolous archaic decorations, the Prairie style presents ornamentation that is simple and abstract and that contributes to the horizontal rhythm of the composition.

Lucius T. Smith, a real estate developer, was the first owner of this house.  Although its architect is unknown, the overall design was obviously influenced by Klutho's George W. Clark Residence at 2059 Riverside Avenue (built in 1911 and now demolished).  Smith's house originally had a red brick first story, like the garage in the rear, which further emphasized the horizontal flow of the exterior.  In 1946 the house was converted to an osteopathic hospital, and a highly unsympathetic addition was added to cover much of the front of the house.  Thirty years later it was dramatically restored to become a residence again, but the brick of the lower story could not be salvaged.

The identity of the designer of this house has been the subject of much speculation, but the answer has eluded researchers.  One tantalizing clue is that Snelson, the contractor for this house, had an office in the St. James Building next door to architect Klutho at the time this residence was built.  Adding to the enigma is a nearly identical house located in Ft. Myers.  Snelson's obituary states that he constructed several buildings in Ft. Myers, which suggests a possible correlation.

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