1. Nestledamonglush
landscapeandwinding
streets,theCurryHouse
canbefoundbeyondthe
gateatMaxwellAirForce
Base.Completedin1934andnamedforitsfirstoccupant
Maj.Gen.JohnF.Curry,thesequartersareafarcryfrom
themeagerbarrackswherearecruitmightbeginamilitary
career.Andquiteappropriately,thisexquisitehomesitson
acul-de-sacnamedSequoiaDrive,indicativeofthe
militaryleaderswhohavelivedhereandtowered
majesticallyovertherenownedAirUniversityatMaxwell.
Since last November, Curry House has been the residence of
Lt. Gen. Steven Kwast, his wife Joni and their two teenage chil-
dren. The hospitable couple invited River Region Living into
this splendid house recently. The 39th family to reside here
during its 80 years of existence, Gen. Kwast humbly explains,
“The home belongs to the American people; it’s not ours.”
Many notable dignitaries have crossed the threshold at the
Curry House. In fact, in recent weeks, the couple welcomed
former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and they often
invite community leaders to their home to interact with na-
tional luminaries. “It’s America’s house and we want the com-
munity to get to know it,” the general adds.
IfWallsCouldTalk
Truly dedicated to our nation’s security and the challenges
of a military career, Gen. Kwast’s family has endured 21 moves
during 30 years of service. It would be easy to constantly feel
uprooted and lack stability in such circumstances, but Mrs.
Kwast has implemented smart tools to help the family feel at
home despite the frequent relocations.
“I use the same color scheme from house to house,” she ex-
plains, as this helps the family — and her kids, in particular —
get acclimated at their new address and it provides continuity.
Also the Curry House is adorned with the couple’s own fur-
nishings and decor to offer familiar surroundings.
54 RIVER REGION LIVING
Curry House:
Maxwell’s Magnificent Manor
By DARLENE HUTCHINSON BIEHL
Photography by GEORGE PUDZIS
Bright apple-green hues greet visitors to the Curry House. The
Kwasts have created an ornate showcase, yet the 3,400-square-
foot home provides a cozy environment for a family of four.
Completed in 1934 and intended
for Maxwell's top commander, the
Curry House was built in the French
Provincial style and features
dormer windows, corner quoins,
and a steeply pitched roof covered
in clay tiles.
2. As guests enter the foyer, they are welcomed by bright apple-
green hues that cover many of the interior walls of this historic
home. In the impeccably decorated dining room, contrasting
red poppies set a cheerful yet dignified tone. Mrs. Kwast is es-
pecially fond of the authentic wood floors that extend through
many of the downstairs rooms.
The walls of the formal living room are bathed in a deep
mocha shade that is brightened by the stylish furnishings the
family has acquired over the years. The arched doorways add
a gentleness to the architecture, and accent pieces rich in char-
acter almost make the guest forget they’re in the home of the
top commander of a vital military base.
In the few months since moving into the Curry House, the
Kwasts have already hosted a function for 75 international
spouses, a luncheon for officers’ spouses, a Winter Wonderland
event with community leaders, as well as other occasions to
open up their home.
While the 3,400-square-foot dwelling was built pre-WWII
with the intent of entertaining high-level dignitaries, the resi-
dence also offers coziness to a relatively young family of four.
Undoubtedly, the three-star general and his family often feel
the demands of his job, but are able to relax and enjoy family
time watching movies and savoring popcorn from a nostalgic
free-standing cart in the den.
But when welcoming special officials, Gen. Kwast explains
how the home was designed with “a circular flow” in mind,
taking guests through many of the impressive first-floor rooms
and then out into the picturesque backyard.
High on embankment overlooking Maxwell’s golf course and
a creek that feeds into the Alabama River; the gracious and el-
egant setting behind the Curry House includes a somewhat se-
cluded gazebo and offers a serene slice of nature. Tiki torches
line the property and landscaping lights pointed upward illu-
minate the soaring trees. “It’s an enchanted area,” the com-
mandant notes, “Leaders can build relationships here.”
Gen. Kwast notes the importance the Curry House and its
surrounding property has played over the past 80 years, and
makes an interesting comparison: “The White House has
Camp David, where leaders can spend time in nature.” Like-
wise, important decision-makers who visit the tranquil retreat-
like grounds of the Curry House are more likely to find
consensus and common-ground. “The conversations that can
APRIL 2015 55
Arched doorways add a gentleness to the home's architecture,
and authentic wood floors extend through many of the
downstairs rooms.
3. happen in the gazebo over a cup of tea or coffee are different
conversations than what happens in a corporate boardroom.”
LookingBack
For nearly a century, Maxwell Air Force Base has had a sym-
biotic relationship with the city of Montgomery, and the Curry
House plays an interesting role in the history of Maxwell.
It’s well-known that the Wright brothers used a cotton field
west of Montgomery in 1910 to teach students about their new
flying machines. Although the field was only used a few
months by the Wrights, the federal government eventually
leased and then purchased the property for the Army Air Serv-
ice, and Maxwell's first permanent building was completed in
1928.
Then in 1931 the Air Corps Tactical School moved from Lan-
gley Field, Va., to Maxwell, bringing many commissioned offi-
cers to the region for the first time, and prompting the
construction of officers’ quarters. Architects chose a French
Provincial style for the homes, which featured cream-colored
textured stucco, steeply pitched roofs covered in red clay tiles,
dormer windows, and pre-cast concrete corner quoins.
Soon after the completion of the quarters, officials noted that
the dwellings were “among the most modern and charming
homes in the local area.... By all standards, they were the best
homes to be found at any military installation in the country.”
Since its construction in 1934, the Curry House has been in-
tended for the senior officer on base. Although it was only
known by its building number for 40 years, in 1974 the house
was named in honor of Major General Curry, who was the first
commandant of the Air Corps Tactical School and the Maxwell
post commander from 1931 to 1935.
The magnificent manor is surrounded by 98 other homes
built for senior officers in the 1930s, and the entire district was
added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The
neighborhood’s tree-lined and family-friendly street pattern
and landscaping were influenced by Frederick Law Olmstead
Jr. and Gerald B. Ford, nationally known city planners of the
early 1900s.
It’s awe-inspiring to consider the military leaders who have
resided in these homes over the generations — innovators of
Maxwell’s “golden age” who were “teaching, arguing and ham-
mering out the aerial doctrines and strategies which were so
successfully employed during the air battles of WWII,” accord-
ing to Jerome Ennels, a former base historian.
ABest-KeptSecret
Gen. Kwast and his wife Joni are not only savoring their
tenure in the Curry House, but they are delighted they have re-
turned to the River Region. The couple resided in the
Cloverdale area in the mid-1990s during a previous assignment
to the Air Command & Staff College at Maxwell.
Both are natives of the West Coast who met in Arizona dur-
ing his pilot training, but they’ve grown quite fond of the Mont-
gomery area. In the 1990s, the couple enjoyed strolling along
the streets of Old Cloverdale and marveled at the unique homes
built generations ago.
This dedicated fighter pilot believes Montgomery is “one of
the finest areas in the nation.”
“The people here are special,” Gen. Kwast notes. “The pa-
triotism found in the River Region is among the best in nation.
The people here understand that freedom isn’t free. And they
are a generous people.” Having lived in numerous states and
traveled to various foreign nations, the general believes that
Montgomery is truly a “best-kept secret.” ^
The Curry House has been the residence of 39 commanders,
including military leaders who contributed to "the aerial
doctrines and strategies" successfully used during WWII.
The grounds of the Curry House provide a serene slice of nature,
including a gazebo that Gen. Kwast considers "an enchanted
area" where international leaders can build relationships.
Community leaders are often invited to the Curry House to
interact with national dignitaries, and to enjoy the picturesque
backyard. Photo courtesy Maxwell AFB.
56 RIVER REGION LIVING
