Built in 1898–1899, the home at 1346 South Third Street is one of Old Louisville’s distinctive late Victorian residences. It was constructed by the McDowell Land and Improvement Company, one of the major developers responsible for shaping the neighborhood during its period of rapid growth. In 1899, the newly completed home was sold for $12,200 to its first resident, Fannie Grauman, widow of German immigrant Samuel Jacob Grauman.

The land beneath the house carries a much older story. The parcel originated from property connected to Kentucky’s earliest land grants near the historic Wilderness Road, the route that helped carry settlers westward toward the Falls of the Ohio. By the end of the nineteenth century, this area had developed into one of Louisville’s most fashionable residential districts, lined with the grand homes that continue to define Old Louisville today.

Unlike many of its neighboring mansions, the house largely avoided being subdivided into apartments during the mid-twentieth century. For much of its history it remained a single-family residence, though rooms were occasionally rented on the third floor. The Clark family called the home theirs longer than any other owners, residing here for 37 years. In 1928, the funeral of Laura Holloway Clark was held in the home’s front parlor, reflecting the Victorian tradition of holding funeral services within the family residence.

The property has also accumulated its share of colorful stories. During the 1950s, a third-floor roomer named Gene Smith made local headlines when his pet capuchin monkey, Fanny, escaped from a nearby automobile dealership and wandered the neighborhood streets before eventually being recovered. Later, the home was owned by Morton Sachs, a prominent Louisville financial figure and early mutual fund pioneer, who is believed to have overseen some of the property's later cosmetic and structural changes.

Architecturally, the residence is known for its striking quarried stone façade, a distinctive feature that sets it apart from many homes in Old Louisville. The stonework is sometimes mistaken for mid-century Permastone, but it is original to the house. Among the home's most treasured details are its original stained-glass windows. One set of decorative urn-themed panels contains a subtle surprise: on close inspection, the design appears to form a face with its tongue sticking out, perhaps a small joke left behind by the artisan who created it more than a century ago.