Raleigh R. Gleason Home, built 1940
1106 Broadway St.

The original house was painted white, and the address was 408 North Broadway Blvd.
The architectural style is Georgian Revival, four over four construction, with hipped roof and brick facade. The building contractor was F. C. McClanahan.

Raleigh R. Gleason purchased the property for the home from the Glass Estate in the late 1930’s. The “Alberta Glass” home next door once occupied a part of this lot but was moved over toward the northeast to allow space for the construction of the Gleason home. At that time the Glass home was occupied by the family of Henry Lester.  On the other side of the Gleason home is the house referred to as the “Palmer House”.

 During the 1940’s and early 50’s, the Widow Rathbun and her daughter lived in the Palmer House; later the family of Davidson Brown (son-in-law) moved in.

Raleigh Rogerson Gleason was born Feb. 3, 1903 on his father’s farm about 19 miles north of Minden. He was employed by the American National Bank in Shreveport until the Great Depression when the bank closed.  At that time he moved with his family to Minden and took a position with the Peoples Bank and Trust Company, newly founded by his father, William T. Gleason, where he was employed for over 30 years. At the time of his death on Oct. 24, 1964, he was vice president of the bank and a member of the board. His widow, Zelma Judith Goodwin Gleason, originally of Texarkana, continued to live in the home until about 1979 when she moved to Shreveport.  The home was sold to the George French family.  Zelma died Mar. 16, 1986.

The Raleigh Gleason family belonged to the First Baptist Church and was active in many community affairs. Raleigh, Zelma, and their oldest son Raleigh Jr., are buried in the Gleason family plot in Minden Cemetery, just off Pine Street.