Considering the prominent residents of Columbus, Dr. Carroll and Lorena Evans were among the top. Evans was a successful surgeon in the city and a general with the Nebraska National Guard and Lorena was a niece of the famed Indian Wars scouts Frank and Luther North.
It stands to reason that when they built a new home in their town, it was a home that would make a statement. Employing local architect Charles H. Wurdeman, the Evanses in 1911 created a 28-room, 17,000-sq.ft. mansion incorporating elements of Renaissance, Greek, Colonial, and Spanish Revival, all popular styles in the early 1900s. All of the roofs on mansion incorporate clay tile for the Spanish influence, the cornice work evokes the Colonial Revival, the portico and main entrance represent the Greek Revival, and its Ionic columns recall the Renaissance style. The columns were carved in the eastern U.S., transported by rail; a spur was built to move the columns from the rail yard to the site.
Wurdeman’s work was recognized as being the work of a master, incorporating the four principles of composition-balance, rhythm, proportion and scale, while creating a feeling of dignity and excitement. The architect create a number of other projects in the city, including the Platte County Courthouse, Pawnee Park Stadium, schools, churches, library, bank, and YMCA. After a series of private owners, the Evans House underwent a complete restoration in the first half of the 2010s and is today used as private offices.
