All In, Allegedly: A Kessler Park Tudor With Pitmaster Lore

February 12, 2026 | Karen Eubank | | Historic Preservation

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“Hey, Honey, I lost another house in a poker game.” Imagine hearing that as your husband walks in the door. This Kessler Park Tudor, built in 1935, is rumored to have been owned by legendary barbecue king William Jennings “Red” Bryan, founder of Red Bryan’s Smokehouse in 1930 and father of Sonny Bryan.

Stories suggest that Red, a noted poker player, may have lost this house — and at least one other — in a game. Some sources claim Sonny won the house in a poker game, but there is no substantiated evidence that Sonny was also a poker player. (If you know more about the history, please let us know!)

As we fast forward, this historic stone-embellished Tudor finally fell into the best possible hands when Caroline and James Lee found it in 2016. They were completely charmed.

“Initially, we were drawn because it felt magical, like a storybook gingerbread house,” Caroline said. “I wanted to start a family and was drawn to the playful architecture.”

Although the original BBQ pit is still in the backyard, the house itself has undergone such a transformation that I doubt any Bryan family member would recognize it today.

“When we bought the house, there was no bathroom in the primary and only one shared original bathroom for two very large shared bedrooms,” Caroline said.

The couple remodeled, updating the kitchen, adding bathrooms, a laundry room, and an entertainment room.

They added two three-story bump-outs to the back, reclaimed a third-story patio, and expanded the home to 4,665 square feet with five bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms—ideal for a family of five.

The Lees hired Russ Peters and Bill Cates, co-founders of Peters Cates Design. It was a beautiful match-up.

“Caroline has impeccable taste, Bill said. “She and James were fearless and fun and communicated so well. This house was like a dowager princess getting a huge updo! It was a joy to work on.”

The house is not open concept, and that was another thing that drew the couple to it.

“Each room feels like it has its own purpose and identity,” Caroline said. “It’s a big house, but we use all of it. I wanted it to feel whimsical, colorful, and still honor the architecture.”

Caroline’s favorite part of the Kessler Park Tudor is the breakfast nook in the kitchen overlooking the rolling backyard and the dining room.

“The nook gets morning sun, and I love to sit there with the patio door open and drink my coffee,” she said. “The dining room has stained glass windows and opens to the kitchen and breakfast nook. When the light hits those at the end of the day, it’s beautiful.”

The Kessler Park Tudor has a rare basement that was quite cavelike and unusable when the Lees purchased it. But Caroline has a vision. We turned it into a playroom and full hangout space with a kitchenette and laundry room, and now we spend most of our time there,” she said.

The natural landscape in the backyard is possibly the most kid-friendly I’ve ever seen. Rolling hills, mature trees, and gardens enhance the whimsical storybook feeling of the house, and yes, when it snows, those hills make for the very best sledding adventures.

“We’ve loved this house,” Caroline said. “The space feels so intentional for how to live, for relationships, for connections, and for rest. It feels nurturing and containing, a place to be hospitable and to rest and recover. When you are inside, it’s quiet, its soothing space. I have always felt protected here.”

Don’t worry, Caroline is on to the next big project, a Spanish Colonial on an acre. She can’t wait to get started, and we can’t wait to see what she creates. We also can’t wait to see who buys this picture-perfect, whimsical home.