HomeMy WebLinkAboutDraft Guide to Historic Brazos County 2000 fiie./ lUntitlec
Bill Page wrote:
A Guide to Historic Brazos County
The history of Brazos County begins along the Brazos and Navasota Rivers. Two sides of a
triangle- shaped county, the rivers and the gently rolling landscape of prairies and woods in between
were the hunting grounds of semi - nomadic Indians for centuries. The Brazos River was named by the
Spanish: Brazos de Dios, or Arms of God. Spanish explorers traveled the El Camino Real, or King's
Highway, as early as the 17th century.
Now called O.S.R., this Old San Antonio Road was the direct route between the East Texas missions
and Mexico. Today it is the north and third boundary of Brazos County.
In 1821, Stephen F. Austin brought 300 families to Texas under an agreement with the Mexican
government. Members of the Millican family were the first settlers in this area, near the confluence of
the Brazos and Navasota Rivers. The local population rapidly increased over the next 20 years and the
Congress of the Republic of Texas created the county in 1841. Boonville was named the county seat
and a log -cabin courthouse, the first of three in Boonville, was built there.
The pioneers crossed the Navasota River by ferry until 1871, when the first bridge was built. Horses,
oxcarts, stagecoaches and an occasional steamboat on the Brazos River were the only means of
transportation in the county until the Houston & Texas Central Railroad reached Millican in 1860.
William Joel Bryan, Stephen F. Austin's nephew, gave land to the H &TC in 1860 for a rail
right -of -way. At the close of the Civil War, the H &TC resumed construction that had been halted by
war. Alerted to the construction of the rail lines, Brazos County residents voted to move the county
seat from Boonville to Bryan in 1866 and the H &TC reached the town a year later.
Many small self. - sufficient farm communities developed near other water sources in the county. Each
had its own store, mill, church and school. Modern farm machinery and the automobile signaled the
demise of many towns; only the cemeteries of many remain. Through the years, cotton, cattle and the
railroad, as well as the founding of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, brought great
prosperity to Brazos County.
Brazos County
Longer Tour
1. Start your tour of Historic Brazos County in the Eastside Historic District (See Bryan map). The
District contains a high concentration of the city's earliest houses that were built for local merchants,
plantation owners and the professional class between the 1880s and the mid- 1930s. The large square
pillared Cavitt House (# 145) is the oldest structure (1878) in the neighborhood. Originally Italianate,
the house's exterior was "modernized" in 1920 to its present neo- classical facade.
2. Travel across Main Street to the gracious homes on the West Side (See Bryan map). Public officials
and business leaders built their dwellings a few blocks from downtown. The palette of late 19th- and
early 20th century architectural styles is represented in these two areas.
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3. South courtyard of the Brazos County Courthouse in Bryan, at Texas Avenue and 26th Street. Site
of two previous courthouses; 1892 facility was demolished in 1954. Historical Markers. Drive east on
William Joel Bryan Parkway to the East Bypass (Texas 6). Travel south, exit University Drive; remain
on the frontage road and cross University then go west (right) on Brazoswood Drive to:
I i
4. College Station and Richard Carter Homesite, 1600 Brazoswood Drive in Richard Carter Park - See
separate map for other College Station historical sites. Marker located at Richard Carter Park. Carter
and his family, from Morgan County, Alabama, were among the last group of colonists brought to
Texas by Stephen F. Austin. In April 1831, Richard Carter received a grant for one league of land
(4,428 acres) within the Stephen F. Austin Colony in Brazos County, Texas. He and his family left
Alabama and arrived here in October 1831, where he built a one -room log cabin. This tract of land
remained in the family until 1884, with remaining parcels sold by the turn of the century. The relocated
graves of Richard Carter, his wife Elizabeth, and family members are located in this park - the site of
the homestead. The league of land he received from the Mexican Government in 1831 included much
of today's city of College Station. An interpretive center and a Texas Historical Marker are also
located in the park. Go west on University Drive to:
5. Texas A&M University -See College Station section for information. Travel south on FM 2154 also
called Wellborn Road (6 miles) to:
6. Wellborn -This community was built around a well as a construction camp for the workers of the
Houston & Texas Central Railroad in 1866. Continue on FM 2154 (7.6 miles) to:
7. Millican -Stop on the right side of the road at the crossing. A historical marker describes the birth and
decline of Millican, founded by Elliot Millican, one of 10 children of Robert and Nancy Millican, Irish
immigrants. These pioneers arrived in 1821 as part of the Stephen F. Austin colony. See the few old
houses, the church and school -all that remain of a town once inhabited by 3,000 people before a yellow
fever epidemic struck and the railroad moved on. Across the tracks are the Methodist Church (1917)
and the cemetery. Turn north on FM 159 (2.5 miles) to:
8. Peach Creek Community -You will drive through beautiful Navasota River bottomland to the Peach
Creek Cemetery. The Tonkawa Indians and other tribes hunted the abundant wildlife in the area with
bow and arrow. Buffalo, prairie chickens, turkeys, bear and deer provided meat for the pioneers. To the
east is the Navasota River where once a sulphur spring bubbled up in the riverbed. Drive west on Rock
• Prairie Road and turn right on Bird Pond Road to Highway 30, which was the old Stagecoach road
from Anderson in Grimes County through Boonville to the Brazos River (20 miles) to:
9. Harvey -A farm community built in 1879, the town was named for Harvey Mitchell, a Boonville
pioneer. Bethel Academy, with 150 students, stood where you now see the Harvey Community Center,
built in 1935. Drive on Boonville Road (FM 158) and come (5.3 miles) to:
10. Boonville Cemetery-This cemetery is all that remains of the pioneer town founded in 1841 as the
first county seat of Brazos County. Read the historical marker and wander among the graves of the
pioneers. Among them is the grave of Haney Mitchell, the "Father of Brazos County." Drive back east
and turn left on FM 1179 (3.2 miles) to:
11. Steep Hollow -Named for the valley of Steep Hollow Creek and Wickson Creek, this was once a
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self- sufficient community with stores and mills. The cemetery with Civil War veterans' graves is to the
right. Continue on FM 1179 (4.6 miles) to:
12. Reliance - Founded by immigrants from Georgia, this community was once called Little Georgia.
Drive beyond the Reliance Baptist Church and the old Reliance Cemetery and turn left on FM 2038
(5.3 miles) to:
13. Kurten -Henry Kurten was a German soldier on leave in Galveston when he decided to remain in
Texas. He became a cotton trader and farmer, founding Kurten in 1852. He encouraged German
immigration by providing steamship passage in exchange for work. He built a school and donated land
for the cemetery and church. Drive (1.2 miles) past the Zion United Church of Christ built in 1940, on
: FM 2038 (crossing Highway 21) to:
14. Kurten Cemetery- Located half a mile off the road on the hill. Under these lovely old cedar trees,
the Kurtens and other pioneers are buried. Well worth a visit. Drive to FM 974, turn north to:
15. Edge- Founded by Dr. John Edge around 1870. This is one of a cluster of small farming
communities, like Manning and Macy, that sprang up near the O.S.R. along several creeks flowing into
the Navasota River. Turn left on Edge Cutoff Rd. to the:
16. Old San Antonio Road (O.S.R.) -The King's Highway, also known as El Camino Real, A historical
marker at Benchley ( #20) tells the history of this highway first traveled by Spanish explorers in 1691.
Turn south to Highway 6 to return to Bryan.
Shorter Tour
>From Steep Hollow ( #11 on map), make a left turn on Merka Road. After a mile you will see the old
Buchanan farmhouse on the right, built in 1910. Make a right turn on Old Reliance Road and you will
drive through beautiful hills and valleys. On the hill beyond the turnoff on Andert Road is the:
17. Macedonia Cemetery-This peaceful place is all that remains of the small Macedonia settlement. The
church was across the road. Drive on Andert Road and cross Highway 21 to:
18. Tabor - Founded by two Confederate soldiers, J. and M. Tabor. John Tabor was the postmaster.
Turn left on FM 974 and after several curves in the road following old property lines, make a right
turnoff to:
19. Alexander Cemetery and Church -Read the historical marker and rest awhile under the stately cedar
trees, traditionally planted in cemeteries by early pioneers. The first church was built in the 1850s; the
earliest marked grave dates from 1874. Turn right on Colette Lane and right on FM 2223 to bring you
to O.S.R., turn left to:
20. Benchley -Two historical markers about 1/4 mile east (to the right of the Highway 6 / O.S.R.
overpass) tell the history of the area and O.S.R.
Return to Bryan on Highway 6.
College Station
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College Station became a city in 1938, although it was "born" in 1871 with the Agricultural and
Mechanical College of Texas. Residents of nearby Bryan, led by Boonville pioneer Harvey Mitchell,
pledged over 2,400 acres necessary for a land grant institution under the Morrill Land Grant Act of
1862. A site was chosen five miles south of the immoral influence of Bryan's saloons and gambling
halls. This distance between town and college encouraged the development of an independent
settlement closer to the college. The campus was planned on a bald prairie, the traditional roundup area
for cattle to be driven to northern markets.
Post Civil War political controversies delayed the construction of the first building at the College by
several years. Old Main, a four -story brick building, and Gathright Hall, a dormitory and mess hall,
served the first students in 1876. These original buildings are gone.
In 1883, the Houston & Texas Central Railroad inaugurated regular stops at the College Station depot.
Mule carts and buggies traveled over the unpaved road to Bryan. Later the campus was connected to
Bryan by the Interurban Trolley (1910 - 1923). Northgate and Southgate shops, outside the North and
South entrances to the College, were built after the turn of the century, as was a gracious residential
area to the south.
Texas A&M University
The following buildings on the Texas A&M campus are of special interest. Visitor parking is available
(see map).
21. Academic Building -Built in 1914 on the site of Old Main, which burned in 1912.
22. Nagle Hall -Built in 1909 it is the first "fireproof' structure built of steel and concrete. Immediately
across is its twin, Bolton Hall, built in 1912.
23. Cushing Library - Built in 1930, the library was designed by noted Texas architect S.C.P. Vosper
and Texas A &M professor F. E. Giesecke. This three -story brick Classical Revival building features
ornamental cast stone and colored ceramic tile on the exterior, with interior features including murals,
an ornamental ironwork grill doorway frame made up of the brands of famous Texas ranches, a main
reading room where the beams and coffers of the ceiling are painted with colorful Egyptian stencils,
and carved bookcases along the walls. This fully restored building now houses the Cushing Library
collections of rare books and manuscripts.
Other 1910 -1930 era buildings are scattered over the inner campus. Five buildings ( #24 -28) were
designed during the Great Depression by a group of college staff under the direction of F. E. Giesecke,
the college architect. These Art Deco structures feature intricate detail and figures in both exterior and
interior ornamentation
24. Administration Building - Features beautiful bronze doors and grilles in classical portico, sculptured
back facade. Built in 1932 for $50,000 by WPA workers.
25. Animal Industries Building -Built in 1932 is decorated with animal heads carved in stone.
26. Scoates Hall -Built in 1932, today it houses the Department of Agricultural Engineering. It bears a
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number of owl sculptures and inside has a large mural of a plantation,
27. Chemistry Building -Built in 1931, it has a beautiful black marble entrance hall.
28. Halbouty Geosciences Building -Built in 1932, it includes pebble mosaics on the walls of its
porticos.
29. Early Texas A &M Campus Housing- Marker located on Throckmorton Street near the President's
Home, By 1938 there were more than 100 houses on the campus, but these blocked expansion plans
for the University. The Board of Directors decreed that all campus housing, except for the president,
commandant, surgeon and a few others, was to be vacated by 1941. Faculty and staff were allowed to
buy and move the houses in which they lived. Most houses sold for between $200 and $800.
30. Bryan & College Station Interurban Railway, 400 Block of College Main - The Bryan - College
Interurban trolley ran from downtown Bryan, down College Avenue, then down Cavitt Street to A &
M College from 1910 until 1929. The trip from Bryan took 30 minutes, and the cost to ride roundtrip
was fifteen cents. Gas cars, which had to be pushed up the Hillcrest incline on Saturday afternoons
when the trolley was crowded, were converted to electric power in 1915. With plans for construction
of Highway 6, service was terminated. The tracks and wires were sold for scrap in 1930. The station
was converted into a home in 1957. HM
31. College Station Railroad Depot, A &M Campus on old Main Drive across from Albritton Tower -
From 1876 when the A &M College opened its doors, until 1883, there was no formal railroad depot to
serve the campus, however the Houston and Texas Central Railroad (H &TC) made regular stops here
to drop off students, faculty, materials, and supplies. In 1883, H &TC built a depot located
approximately 800 yards from the Old Main building, which was used as a passenger station. In 1900
the International and Great Northern (I &GN) Railroad extended their rail line to College Station and
built a much larger depot east of the H &TC depot. Around this time the H &TC moved their depot to a
location on campus to be used as housing, and built a new station to replace it. These depots served as
the focal point of activity for the campus and the community until they were demolished. The last
passenger service to use these depots was on June 7, 1959. The H &TC depot was razed in the 1950's,
and the I &GN depot was razed in 1966 to allow for the expansion of the State Highway 2154
(Wellborn Road). HM
College Station
32. Richard Carter Homesite -See #4 in Brazos County information.
33. Judson E. Loupot - In 1928, Judson E. Loupot (1910 - 1995) came to College Station to attend
A &M College. In 1930, he began selling used textbooks from his dorm room, to make extra money.
When campus authorities ordered his business off campus, with the help of a few friends, he built a
small structure in the Northgate business district. "Old Army Lou" operated his business for sixty -five
years, opening new locations in the community. The Loupot's Bookstores are still family owned and
operated. CS
34. Lipscomb's Pharmacy /Loupot's Bookstore, 335 University Drive - Built in 1925, this building
housed Lipscomb's Pharmacy, the first pharmacy in the community, and one of the first businesses in
the Northgate area. The soda fountain in the pharmacy was a place for many area residents to gather
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• and socialize. Mr. Lipscomb leased the building to Judson Loupot in the early 1970's, and Loupot's,
Inc. purchased the building about 8 -10 years later. CS
35. Cafe Eccel, 101 Church Avenue - Constructed in 1947, the building was designed by architecture
students at A &M under the direction of Ernest Langford, head of the Architecture Department. The
building served as the first College Station City Hall before it moved to its present location on Texas
Avenue in 1972, however the Public Works and Parks Departments remained at this location until the
early 1980's. CS
36. 300 Highland Street - This 1918 bungalow was a former campus house occupied by J.T.L.
McNew, head of Civil Engineering. The prior campus location is believed to have been on the west
side of Clark Street. According to tax records it was probably sold by A &M in 1941 -42, and moved to
':. this location. CS -10.
37. 601 Montclair Avenue - Constructed in 1910 by the Corps of Cadets to house A &M faculty, this
house was originally at the corner of Lubbock and Clark Streets on the A &M campus. This small
Queen Anne with neoclassical features was auctioned off by A &M for $330 to Irby Adams in 1948,
sawn in two and moved to this location. A small one -room servant's quarters accompanied the house
to this address and was located in the backyard. The servants who lived in the quarters were divorced
not long after, and decided to saw the structure in half, each taking a piece, leaving only the plumbing.
CS -1.
38. 611 Montclair Avenue - Built in 1890, this is probably the oldest house in College Station. This
medium -sized Queen Anne with neoclassical features was originally located on campus and is easily
identifiable from old campus photos as one of five houses which faced the drill field. It was occupied
for a time by Mark Francis, Dean of Veterinary Medicine, before being sold in 1948 and moved to this
location. CS -5.
39. 908 & 912 Montclair Avenue - These two small, cottage - style, houses were built in 1911 on the
A &M College campus. They were purchased by College Station resident, Luther Jones, and moved to
their present location about 1970, from the campus area of student housing near University Drive.
Both houses were completely renovated in 1990 by Twin City Properties. CS -8,9,
40. 208 Fairview Avenue - In 1923, Miss Jennie Camp who was with A &M Extension Service,
purchased this lot from the Southside Development Company, and contracted with builder W.C.
Hutton to have this home built. Windows which were located "to catch the Gulf breeze" in summer,
and a coal stove which provided heat in the winter, have been replaced by central heat and air
conditioning. The original windows remain. Miss Camp also built the duplexes next door and across
the corner, but not before a committee of her male colleagues called upon her in an effort to dissuade
her from what they considered to be a foolhardy enterprise. CS..
41. African American Education in College Station, 1000 Eleanor Street at the Lincoln Center - Early
African American schools in Brazos County were small, usually 1 -4 rooms. In 1941 since there was no
African American High School, and attendance and costs were steadily increasing, the A &M
Consolidated Board of Trustees decided to build facilities for an African American high school. Five
acres were purchased at the southwestern limits of the city, now bordered by Eleanor and Holleman
Streets, and the A &M Consolidated Negro School opened its doors for the 1941 -42 school year.
Grades 1 -11 were included, with grade 12 being added the following year. In 1946, the name of the
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• school was changed to Lincoln School. Integration occurred practically overnight when a fire
destroyed the ten - classroom high school building, principal's office, teacher's lounge, and library in
January, 1966. Lincoln School closed its doors at the end of the 1965 -66. During the school's
existence, it served as the social hub of College Station's African American community. In 1978, the
city purchased the land from the school district and the facilities were refurbished. In June 1980, the
Lincoln Center was officially dedicated, and continues to serve as a tribute to the school once located
at this site. HM, CS.
42. 503 Angus Street - This typical bungalow style house was built in 1941- 42 has had additions
added. Dr. Carroll Laverty and his family purchased the home in 1950. CS.
43. 501 Kerry Street - This Colonial -style house built in 1936 for Mr, and Mrs. Charles Spriggs, was
designed by Cosby Bird. It is one of the first off - campus houses built in the College Park area, and was
the site of numerous social gatherings. Ferris brick was used on the front and six -inch siding at the
rear. Mr. Spriggs was in the English Department at A&M and was instrumental in setting up the Aggie
Players, which he directed for many years. The house was originally built with a rental apartment on
the north end which was rented out to a number of faculty members who later became prominent. The
most famous of these being internationally renowned architect John Rowlett, who was a tenant around
1947. CS -18.
44. 502 Kerry Street - This 1923 bungalow is a former campus house, which was modified after it was
moved. In 1942, George and Anne Potter who had originally planned to build a home, purchased this
house when the contractor had been unable to get the materials necessary to build, due to World War
II. CS -2.
45. 200 Grove Street - One of the first houses built in the West Park subdivision, this home was under
construction when purchased by Mr. and Mrs, Tom Covey in 1941. The two - bedroom home with oak
floors and detached garage built by local builder Herschel Burgess, was typical of houses at the time.
The house, which was enlarged in 1950 to meet the growing needs of the Covey's, still remains in the
family. CS.
46. 504 Guernsey Street - This 1942, typical cottage -style house, was the last house Hershel Burgess
I built before he went into the service during World War II. It was built for the Terrell family, on
creosote pilings that go down six feet beneath the house. When the large screened -in porch was
enclosed in 1960, old shiplap siding, globe ceiling fixtures, and antique ceiling fans taken from a
building on campus were used. CS..
47. 500 Ayrshire Street - This pier and beam structure was built in 1937 for Edgar S. and Mabel
McFadden and their family. Ernest Langford was the architect and construction superintendent of this
house at about the same time that he was designing and working on Kyle Field. Mr. McFadden is
famous for having developed a cross strain of wheat in 1916, which he appropriately named "Hope ".
CS.
48, 900 Hereford Street - Luther Jones and his wife Catherine purchased the land for this house in
1940, when they had to vacate their faculty house on A &M campus. This two -story American
foursquare residence was home, from its construction in 1941, until 1990. Luther Jones was a
prominent community member who among other things, served on the first city council, was founder of
the first Boy Scout troop in. College Station, operated a depression -era student loan service, and served
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Bryan has been the agricultural and commercial center of the rich Brazos River Valley farmlands since
1867, when the Houston & Texas Central Railroad initiated train service through the town. Within a
few years, Bryan was linked by rail to major agricultural markets across the country. By 1900 the
International and Great Northern Railroad line also moved through town. In the early decades of the
20th century, with the assistance of the H &TC, small spur tracks ran to the Brazos River Bottom,
linking the rich cotton- producing lands with the city's five gins, two cotton yards, compresses,
warehouses and rail lines to distant markets.
While the city has also been the county seat since 1866, its role as an agricultural and mercantile center
has been responsible for its steady growth. Bryan's long, broad commercial district stretched along the
axis of the rail tracks as the city grew. In the fourth quarter of the 19th century a large number of
German, Czech and Italian immigrants settled in the Brazos River Valley. Their children and
grandchildren left area cotton farms and moved to Bryan, many entering business. Attracted by the
community's prosperity, a merchant class developed and Bryan's expansion was buoyed by
cotton- related activities well into the 20th century. The 1 876 opening of Texas A &M College (later
Texas A &M University) drew other small academic institutions to the community in subsequent years.
The majority of today's remaining historic structures - commercial, institutional and domestic - reflect the
city's turn -of -the- century appearance and architectural preferences.
The town's plan resulted from land speculation around what was to be the courthouse square.
Businessmen balked at the high prices and retreated to Main and Bryan Streets. In 1867 when the city
was incorporated, Bryan's Main Street was a densely built commercial area of frame buildings. Between
1877 and 1885 brick replaced many of the frame buildings along Main Street. Cotton and lumber yards,
planing and grist mills, hotels and boarding houses clustered about the tracks between 25th and 27th
Streets. Downtown remained a dusty place until 1915 when the streets were paved.
Commercial structures along Main occupied the entire lot, with their rear elevations, and often a
secondary entry, facing Tabor Street on the railroad tracks. Although they were the "back doors," they
were one of the first sights from the train and busy track -side platform.
Bryan's religious institutions took form along with the city's political and economic institutions, and
• most denominations were represented soon after Bryan was settled. Early services were held in private
homes or on the second floor of commercial buildings. A majority of these 19th- century congregations
still meet, although they occupy their third and fourth buildings. Temple Freda (#153), St. Andrew's
Episcopal Church ( #103) and St. Anthony's Catholic Church ( #154) are the three oldest religious
buildings still in use.
The city's north side historically has been home to the African American community. African American
business and professional offices operated at the northern end of Main and Bryan Streets. The Martin
Luther King corridor is the neighborhood's primary artery, with a mix of commercial and residential
• structures along its entire length. Some of Bryan's oldest vernacular buildings still stand in the north
end. A row of 20th century shotgun houses may be found at 810 and the 900 block of E. Martin Luther
King. "Shotgun" is an architectural term for a house whose length is twice its width, with all exterior
and interior doors aligned, so that theoretically, a shot from a gun could travel through the house and
cause no damage. While no physical evidence remains, neighborhood residents recognize the small area
around Orleans and Preston Streets as Freedmanstown, where newly freed African Americans settled
after the Civil War.
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51. 900 Park Place - In 1938, Colonel Orva E. Beezley and his wife Loetitia purchased two lots from
H.E. Burgess, President of the Oakwood Realty Company of College Station. These two lots were
• combined to form the site for this home, which was occupied by the Beezley's until 1948. The home
remained in its original form until 1994, when the owners undertook a major renovation and
remodeling, overseen by Architect David Woodcock, who specializes in the preservation of historic
architecture. CS.
52. 1006 Park Place - This 1916 home, built in a variation of the American Four Square style, was
originally located on A &M campus. One of five houses on Lamar Street facing the drill field, it was
purchased by E.E. McQuillen in 1951, and moved to its present location to make way for the Memorial
Student Center. Although the two original fireplaces were lost when it was moved and the house
remodeled, it still retains its original appearance. CS.
53. 1102 Park Place - This former campus, Queen Anne style house, which originally had neo- classical
pillars, was erected in 1891. In 1933, it was the home of F.E. Giesecke, Professor of Architecture and
• university architect for many years. This home is easily identifiable from old photos as one of five
houses on Lamar Street which faced the campus drill field before it was sold by A &M in 1942 and
moved to this location. CS -20.
54. 1111 Park Place - This house sits on two lots that were originally sold to Ray and Kitty Kinsey in
1938. Mr. Kinsey built this home and others in the Oakwood addition. After living here for 15 years,
the Kinsey's sold the house to Chester & Alta O'Donnell in 1953. Mr. O'Donnell was a dispatcher for
the Bryan Police Department, and for many years the Sheriff and Bryan Police calls were dispatched
from the second floor of this residence. The house originally had a Lee Street address, however after
renovations, the side of the home became the front entrance, with a Park Place address. CS.
55. 1712 Glade Street - This American Four square was erected on campus in 1914, where it remained
on Throckmorton Street until it was purchased in 1965 by Mr. & Mrs. William "Bill" D. Fitch and
moved to this location. The home has had extensive remodeling since it was moved. Bill Fitch began
developing streets and constructing buildings along Church Street and just north of campus in the
1940's, and continued in the construction business until the 1960's when he limited his business to
development only. In 1973, along with several local homebuilders, he started Southwood Valley, Inc.,
developing areas of Southwood Valley, Southwood Terrace, and Southwood Forest. CS.
56. Community House, 401 Holleman Drive - This architectural style is typical of houses constructed in
the 1930's. It is known that the house was moved from another location, and the possibility that it may
• have been formerly located on campus is under investigation. W.A. Tarrow, one -time teacher and
principal of Lincoln High School helped to organize and served as president of Community House, a
day care and social services organization begun with private donations and volunteers in 1953. It has
also served as a kindergarten, senior center, and a Girl's Club site. Currently the house provides a place
for church services, bible study, Sunday school, and as a meeting place for local residents. CS.
57. 201 Suffolk Avenue - This house was designed in 1932 by Ernest Langford, and built in the same
year for the J. Gordon Gay family. It was perhaps the first or second home constructed in the
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• Oakwood subdivision. The Gay family lived here for 55 years and the house grew with the family. It is
interesting to note the numerous copper exterior accessories. The fences and brick walks were
designed by one of the Gay's sons, and constructed in the workshop on site by the Gays and A &M
student volunteers. CS.
58. 211 Suffolk Avenue - In 1934, lot 26 and part of lot 25 were purchased from the Oakwood Realty
Company for the sum of $324 by James B. Dent, after joining the faculty of A &M as an instructor of
Engineering Drawing. When most of the home was destroyed by fire early on the morning of
Christmas Eve, 1936, the Dent family was forced to relocate to an apartment house near the Mess Hall
on the A &M campus while the house was rebuilt. CS.
59. 300 Suflblk Avenue - This home was built in 1936 by a Mr. Raatz, who owned a dry cleaning
establishment in the Northgate area. In the late 1940's and early 1950's, it was home to Bo Bell,
All-American baseball player, and one -time head coach for the A &M baseball team. CS -21.
60. 306 Suffolk Avenue - Built in 1939, on the A &M campus and located on Coke Street, as the office
of the construction superintendent for Bellows Construction Company, who built the Corps of Cadet
dorms for occupation in the fall of 1939. Dr, William L. Hughes, in the Education and Psychology
Department and his wife were the moved the office off of campus to this location. Mrs. Hughes
spotted the office on campus and designed the addition to the office that turned it into their home. CS.
61. 315 Suffolk Avenue - This former campus bungalow was built in 1917 for Dr. Charles B. Campbell,
the head of the Department of Modern Languages at the time. In 1941 Dr. Campbell and his family
bought the house from A &M and moved it to this address. The house was renovated in 1990 -1991,
with all renovations overseen by Architect David Woodcock, a specialist in the preservation of historic
architecture. C S-15.
62. 303 Dexter Drive - Originally, a one and one -half story Cape Cod bungalow was built on this site in
1922 for the Robert R. Lancaster family. When the home was moved to 505 Dexter in 1937, the
{ Lancaster's built this Spanish Colonial home. It was common for the Lancaster family, like other
residents in the area, to rent rooms to the lady guests of Aggies on special weekends, due to a lack of
hotel rooms. The home is still in the Lancaster family. CS.
63. 305 Dexter Drive - This Northern Gothic design house was built in 1924 by Dr. Floyd B. Clark and
his wife Ruth. Dr. Clark, one -time professor and head of the A &M Department of Economics, along
with four other college associates formed the Southside Development Company, which developed the
first off - campus residential area known as College Park. The house has six -inch pine floors, and two
fireplaces that were originally designed for coal. A small cellar was filled in when the house was
restored. CS.
64. 304 West Dexter Drive - This home was built in 1928, with a major addition in 1968 that was both
designed an built by the owner at the time, local architect Paul Pate. The house is unique in that it is
one room wide, with the rooms continuous from the front to the rear of the house. Ventilation is good,
with breezes flowing in one side of the house and out the other. CS.
65. 502 West Dexter Drive - This wood frame, two -story Southern Colonial style house was built in
1923 by Professor Drinkard B. Milner, a Professor of Drawing at the A &M College. It was one of the
first off - campus houses in College Station, and was built on the west side of what was to be known as
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Dexter Lake, which was drained in the 1950's and subsequently named Brison Park. Numerous
changes have been made to both the interior and exterior of the home. One of particular interest - in
the main family room on the first floor, paneling of the interior wall was accomplished using large
wooden panels taken from Bagley Hall when it was demolished in 1972 on the A &M campus. CS.
66. 600 West Dexter Drive - This home was built in 1929, and occupied by noted architect Ernest
Langford and his family from that time until 1956. One of the oldest off - campus houses, it originally
faced what was once Dexter Lake. Langford headed the Texas A &M architecture department and was
the mayor of College Station from 1942 to 1965, holding that office longer than any other person.
CS -12.
67. A &M College Consolidated Rural School (now the Barbara Bush Education Center), 1000
Eleanor Street at the Lincoln Center - In 1920, three surrounding school districts sent their students to
a new school located on, and supported by, the A&M College. Classes were held in Guion Hall until
the new building could be completed. In 1939, residents of the newly incorporated City of College
Station purchased and donated approximately 15 acres of land for an off - campus school. The school
opened in March 1940, with separate buildings for the elementary and high school classes. HM
68. Walton Medical Building, 903 Texas Avenue - Land was purchased in 1941 in the business section
of College Hills Estates for the erection of the College Medical Center on Highway 6. The one -story,
I free standing brick building with Art Deco influences was built along the identical plans of the Bryan
Medical Center. Dr. T. O. Walton, Jr., opened his practice here in 1942 when construction of the
building was completed. The building is still owned by the children of Dr. Walton. CS.
69. 117 Pershing Avenue - This home was built in 1931 -1933, for Mr. and Mrs. A.R. Kemmerer who
lived there for two years before it was sold to Professor Edmund C. Klipple and his wife. Dr. Klipple
was in the Math Department at A &M, and the house remained in his family until it was sold by his
I estate in 1995. This house was among the first built in the Oakwood Addition of College. Renovations
made to the home in 1995 and 1997, include the addition of a wraparound porch, upgrades to the
kitchen, and enclosing a screen porch and adding a room above it. CS.
70. 200 Pershing Avenue - The lots for this Monterrey Revival style house were purchased in 1937,
and Mr. E.B. Reynolds, head of the Agronomy Department, and his wife, first occupied the house in
1941. Mrs. Reynolds selected the style for the house, which is a modernization of the earlier adobe
Spanish architecture of California that was popular in the 1920's, including two -story design with
ground floor exterior of brick and wood, board and batten second story, cantilevered balcony, arched
doorways and many windows. CS- 11.
71. 204 Pershing Avenue - This frame bungalow was built in 1938 by Dr. James Couch, with nine -foot
ceilings and hardwood floors throughout. When the Couch family remodeled it in the 1950's, they
added a bedroom, den, bath, and laundry room . CS.
72. 300 Pershing Avenue - Architect Jesse H. Sheton designed this house which was built for Clifton C.
and Henryetta Carter Doak in 1939. There appear to be two front doors, one on Pershing, and one on
Burt Street. The Burt Street entrance leads directly to a staircase that would facilitate renting the
second floor as an apartment. The house has been extensively upgraded while maintaining the original
design integrity. CS.
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73. 112 Lee Avenue - Hershel E. Burgess and wife, Ethyl Walton Burgess purchased two heavily
wooded lots in June, 1935 . from Oakwood Realty Company, to build this French Provincial red brick
home. Designed by famed local architect Ernest Langford, it was built by local builder M.E. Rees, with
brick and lumber than had come from the recently torn down Villa Maria Academy. Additions made in
1950 were in accordance with the original plans. The only noticeable difference in the house now and
Mr. Langford's plans is the detailing on the front door. Besides being the major builder /developer of
the Oakwood and North Oakwood (in Bryan) subdivisions, Mr. Burgess organized the College Station
State Bank, the first bank in the city, as well as purchasing land for a cemetery, which he later sold to
• the City at cost. CS.
74. 115 Lee Avenue - Built in 1936, this house was sold by Mrs. Dean Brooks to A &M in 1963, to be
used as a temporary residence for President and Mrs. Earl Rudder after their home on campus burned.
The Rudders occupied this home until 1965, when they moved to the newly built President's home on
campus. CS -7.
75. 119 Lee Avenue - This cottage -style house was constructed in 1935 by Dean Angel, Dean of
• Engineering, and designed by Ernest Langford, There have been some renovations made over the
years, but the original wood floors have been restored and maintained. The interior walls have either
been painted or oiled to show the original surfaces of the 1935 construction, CS.
76. 120 Lee Avenue -This Georgian style house was built in 1936 for George and Ruth Wilcox. CS -16.
77. 206 Lee Avenue - The slave- labor, handmade bricks used to build this home, originally came from a
house located in Wheelock, Texas which had been built in the mid 1800's. The bricks were moved here
to build this house in 1937, by W.T. Carter, the first state chemist on campus. Colonel Sidney
Loveless, the first City Secretary of College Station, purchased this home with his wife in 1946, after
he returned from World War II. CS.
78. 207 Lee Avenue - This wood frame home was built in 1936 by Cosby Byrd for Letcher and Mildred
Gabbard. The floors throughout the home are oak, including the bathrooms, and the trim throughout
the house and the living room doors are figured gumwood. It remained in the Gabbard family until
1991. CS.
79. 210 Lee Avenue - Built in 1938 this cottage -style home has pier and beam foundation, hardwood
floors, heartwood pine paneling and mantel, and contains light fixtures which came from the old
Aggieland Inn that was once located on the A &M campus. The original owners were Professor and
Mrs. Godbey. It was also owned at one time by the Corps of Cadets Commandant Colonel Burton.
CS -13.
80. 211 Lee Avenue - The land for this house was purchased in 1935 from Oakwood Realty Company
by L.P. Gabbard, head of the Agricultural Economics Department at A &M. He subsequently sold the
lot to Horace Hamilton who contracted with G.S. Parker Lumber Company to build the house in 1937.
The architecture is typical of its period, but unique in that it is designed to fit a narrow lot. CS.
81. 215 Lee Avenue - This property was sold to P.J. Alvin Zeller in 1935. Mr. Zeller built this home
which was designed by engineers from A &M. A rifle enthusiast, he used the three -car garage as a
shooting gallery, until a city ordinance was passed prohibiting the discharging of firearms inside the
city. The home was expanded and restored in 1997. CS.
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82. 314 Lee Avenue -Built in 1938, this house boasts a perfectly symmetrical English Elm in the front
yard. About 60 percent of the construction material is petrified wood, from a river 35 miles away.
CS -19.
83. 600 Old Jersey Street - An agreement to build this house was entered into in 1931 between Dr.
Robert K. Fletcher, his wife Ruth Camp Fletcher, and builders Y.C. Watson and M.M. Autrey.
Ownership has changed numerous times over the years. Renovations and additions took place in 1996.
CS.
84. 607 Old Jersey Street - Built in 1932 by Luther Jones for Dr. and Mrs. William Blumberg, this
house exemplifies the southern adaptation of the Classic design that featured proportions, forms, and
details based on Greek Revival architecture. No structural changes have been made other than the
enclosure and enlargement of a small back porch. CS -3.
85. 1309 Walton Drive - Built for prominent entomologist, Dr. Frank Lincoln Thomas in 1940, as part
of the initial development of the College Hills Estates Subdivision during the movement of A &M
faculty members to off - campus residences. CS -14.
86. 1005 Puryear Drive - Built in 1939 by Albert Stevens, with bricks purchased when Villa Maria
Academy was torn down in Bryan. The cedar beams used over all the entrances and windows also
came from the Academy. The seven -inch wide molding and paneling used in the living room and dining
area are made from wood imported from Arkansas. CS -17.
87. 903 Francis Drive - Built in 1940, this house is an important example of one of the earliest
architectural styles in the city. The floors are oak, and the interior walls and ceiling are constructed of
Oregon pine, said to have been hand - selected by Mr. B. Koontz, the first owner of the house and
director of the Texas Forest Service at A &M. CS.
88. 1004 Ashburn Avenue - This cottage- style, former campus residence built in 1923, was the home of
A &M head football coach Homer Norton in 1933. Sold by A &M in 1941, it was moved to its present
location, and has been modified considerably. The hardwood floors in the original part of the house are
made of the maple planks that were once the gym floor at DeWare Field House. The fireplace is made
from bricks taken from the convent which was once housed on the old Allen Academy campus, and
shutters covering two built -in cabinets were taken from the old Brazos County Courthouse. CS -4.
89. 908 Munson Avenue - G. Carl Thompson purchased this lot from the College Hills Company for
$600 in 1941. John Batten constructed the house and garage for Mr. Thompson, In 1942, Thompson
sold the house and lot, to his brother Lee P. Thompson for $3,500, who was the first occupant. The
house has been sold numerous times, and renovations in 1967 included the conversion of the attic into
two bedrooms. CS.
90. 1000 Munson Avenue - This side - gable, white frame house is typical of massed -plan folk housing
constructed in the early 1900's which housed A &M faculty during the early years of College Station's
development. It was built for Lee P. Thompson in 1941 by John Batten. Lee sold it to his brother G.
Carl Thompson, who moved in on December 7, 1941, the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The
interior features knotty pine walls and ceiling, and oak flooring. The second owners, B.C. and Mary
Louise Moore, enlarged the house in 1954. CS.
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91. 1201 Munson Avenue - In 1942 the College Hills Company sold Lot 11 containing five acres to
Jack P. Hays and his wife Doris for $10. On the same day, Hays contracted with J.C. Culpepper to
furnish all labor and materials, and to construct the home. This house is an excellent early example of
the shift from a wooden foundation with multiple stories, to the use of a concrete slab foundation, with
a single story layout. Improvements to the house have been made over the years. A wing added in
1989 used bricks that came from the old Ursuline Academy in Bryan. Dr. Dwight W. Andres, the first
doctor in College Station, and his wife Dorothy lived in this home from 1943 until 1972. Senator Phil
Gramm lived here during his tenure as a professor at A &M from 1972 -1979. CS.
92. 1208 Munson Avenue - This house, completed in of 1947, was owner - designed and built by Dr.
Kuiken and his wife Lois. The home does not follow the same building -style as the rest of the
neighborhood. The exterior load - bearing construction of clay -tile masonry units and steel- framed
casement windows, make this house appear more of a "modern" or contemporary ranch style
vernacular design. The air conditioning system includes an under- the -floor, tile- ducted air system,
often found only in commercial structures. CS..
93. 1210 Munson Avenue - In 1941, the College Hills Company sold Lot 72 to Thomas B. Thompson
for $925, however, the lot would be sold twice more before being developed in 1949, when Truman R.
Jones, Jr., constructed the house for Weldon X. Hall. This end - gabled frame house is an example of
early vernacular architecture in the city, and its builder was a significant figure in the growth of the
College Hills /College Hills Woodlands neighborhoods, as well as the development of Munson Avenue.
This, and the numerous other homes built throughout the neighborhood built by Jones, reflect the
economic well -being of College Station during the post -World War II building boom. CS.
94. 1212 Munson Avenue - In 1948, the College Hills Company sold Lot 71 to Truman Jones and his
wife Mildred for $10. Construction was completed that same year. Truman Jones, a faculty member in
the Civil Engineering Department, built houses as a means of supplementing his income. He built the
adjacent houses at 1214 and 1210 Munson, as well as numerous houses throughout the neighborhood.
An important example of vernacular architecture in the City, it was added on to in 1960. CS.
95. Shiloh Community, 2606 Texas Avenue in the College Station Cemetery-This marker is located in
the College Station Cemetery. In the 1860's, several Czech, German, and Polish immigrant families
formed the community of Shiloh about two miles south of the A&M College campus. The community
consisted of several large family farms, and the families worked together to survive. Members formed
the Slavonic Agricultural and Benevolent Society in 1883 to help each other with farm work and to
pool money to buy new tools. The society evolved from an agricultural club to a social club that still
exists today as the Shiloh Club. Within the College Station Cemetery lies the Shiloh Cemetery. HM
96. Rock Prairie School and Church, 105 Rock Prairie Road East -The school was founded in 1891 and
the church in 1900 on land donated by Adam Royder. The 29' x 40' -6 ", one -room schoolhouse /church
was constructed in 1891 and is standing in its original location. Much of the original building is still in
place, as are some of the hand -sawed pine pews with V -cut feet and slats that form a contoured seat.
The original pulpit, of similar primitive design, is still in use. A wood heater heated the building, until a
gas heater was installed in the 1950's. The original pine clapboard siding was replaced with vinyl siding
in the 1970's, and the steeple was added in 1982. HM. CS.
Bryan
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• as first President of the College Station State Bank. He donated the land to the Kiwanis at the corner
of Luther and Montclair Streets, now known as Luther Jones Park. CS.
49. 710 Park Place - Built on the Texas A &M campus in 1918, this pier & beam bungalow was one of
the original fifty that served as housing for faculty and staff. Originally located on Clark Street, it was
occupied by Dr. J.J. Taubenhaus, Professor in the Department of Agriculture, and his wife Esther, the
head of the A &M Herbarium from 1918 until 1924, when it was seriously damaged by fire. After the
home was reconstructed in 1925, the Taubenhaus's moved back in. Mrs. Taubenhaus purchased the
home from A &M for $506, in 1942 and moved it to its present location, where it has undergone
renovations. CS.
50. 716 Park Place - This Cape Cod cottage was built in the 1938, with materials purchased from
Parker Lumber Company in Bryan, and native limestone hauled from a rock quarry just south of
Wellborn. This was the third residence built on Park Place. CS -6.
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Mexican immigrants first arrived in Brazos County in the 1890s. Increased migration occurred during
L ! the 1910s and 1920s. Social upheaval in Mexico as a result of its unabated civil wars, as well as the
poverty of the country, coincided with a demand for cheap labor in agriculture and related industries in
this country.
KEY TO RESIDENTIAL SITES
ti
Because the older east and west side neighborhoods grew gradually over many years, they are
remarkable for the wide range of architectural styles represented. The City of Bryan created the
I Eastside Historic District in 1983. A separate National Register District was designated in 1988.
Homes within the Districts are restricted to uses and renovations which will preserve their historic
character and value.
These tree - shaded neighborhoods include fine old homes built in several styles:
V- Victorian (1885 - 1905): irregular form, extensive single and /or double porches; Gothic, Italianate,
Stick and/or Queen Anne (tower) features
N- Neo- Classical Revival (1 889 - 1912): symmetrical, two -story front porch with high round or square
pillars.
D -Dutch Colonial (1900 - 1912): gambrel (barn type) roof is most distinctive feature
T- Transitional (1902 - 1912): squarish, two -story with one -story front porch, some Victorian
ornamentation
E- Eclectic Brick (1920s): rectangular, two -story, a combination of exterior and interior styles
DOWNTOWN
97. Carnegie Library Building, 111 S. Main -Built in 1903 with funds from the Carnegie Foundation. It
is the oldest existing Carnegie Library building in Texas. Designed in Classic Revival style by F. E.
Giesecke, professor of drawing and later College Architect at A&M, it served as a civic and cultural
center for many years. It was the reunion site for survivors of John Bell Hood's Brigade, the famous
Texas Confederate Cavalry Unit of Bryan-area men who participated in several strategic Civil War
battles. It has been completely restored and now serves as the Carnegie Center of Brazos Valley
History. NR. HM.
98. LaSalle Hotel, corner of Main Street and Bryan Street - This seven story reinforced concrete
building was built in 1929. Originally opened as a hotel, it later became the first licensed nursing home
in Texas. The building reopened in 2000 after being restored for use as a luxury hotel.
99. Masonic Temple, 107 S. Main -The Prairie style structure has been in continuous use by the Masons
since its construction in 1910.
{ 100. Howell Building, 205 S. Main -Built in 1906 of solid brick walls, the interior cast iron columns
support the two upper stories. The two -part vertical block structure was built in the late high Victorian
era to house J. W. Howell's wholesale grocery business.
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Bill Page wrote:
101. Astin Office Building, 106 W. 26th - Constructed in 1917, the two -part vertical structure was built
in the late high Victorian era. It housed the first Bryan telephone exchange and was later the home of
City National Bank until the I950s.
102. Bryan Municipal Building, 201 E. 27th St. - Designed by the firm of Giesecke and Harris, this
1930 building originally housed the administrative offices for the city of Bryan as well as the central fire
station. The exterior of this concrete frame structure is faced with cast stone. The Bryan Police
Department later occupied the building. It is currently (2000) being restored for use as a museum.
103. St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 217 W. 26th - Present Gothic Revival style replaced the original
frame building in 1914. Built by noted Bryan contractor C. E. "Charlie" Jenkins. NR. HM.
104. James Drugstore, 200 W. 26th -A classically detailed commercial structure that has been in
continuous use as a drugstore since its founding in 1906.
105. Old Post Office, 216 W. 26th -Built in 1915, this was Bryan's first Federal building.
106. First National Bank & Trust Building, 120 N. Main- Founded in 1873 by Guy Bryan, son of W. J.
Bryan for whom the city is named. This building was erected in 1919 and contained the first overnight
depository in the country. The back section housed a saloon until Prohibition. N. NR.
107. First State Bank & Trust Co. Building, 100 W. 25th -The handsome Art Deco ornate stone
building was constructed in 1930 for the bank founded in 1909. It is now used by the Bryan
Independent School District. NR.
108. Variseo Building, 219 N. Main -Built in 1948 in Art Deco style. Erected by Brazos Varisco, an
Italian immigrant businessman and plantation owner.
109. Humpty Dumpty Store, 218 N. Bryan-A vernacular commercial building, built around 1925 is
now the site of a restaurant. NR.
110. Allen Block, 400 Block of North Main - Once the center of the street's commercial activities,
these vernacular commercial buildings built between 1890 -1920 remain virtually unaltered since
construction. NR.
111. Parker Lumber Company Building, 419 N. Main -A vernacular commercial structure used
continuously by the lumber company from the time it was built in 1910 by Charlie Jenkins until it closed
in 1989. NR.
112. Ice House, 107 E. Martin Luther King -Built in 1912. Note the interesting south and east exterior
and the heavy beamed roof construction of the Mission Revival style building.
EAST SIDE AREA
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• 113. Bryan Cemetery, 1111 N. Texas Ave.- Opened in 1868; has many interesting old gravestones,
including an unusual wooden grave marker. Includes the Freedmen's Cemetery, where many of Bryan's
�.� first African American residents are buried.
114. Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Old Kurten Road - Established by the Catholic Church in 1897, this
cemetery serves a variety of immigrant populations, including persons originally from such countries as
the Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico, and Poland.
115. Site of Bryan School for Colored -The first school building for African Americans in Bryan was
started in 1885. HM at E. Martin Luther King and N. Preston.
116. Original site of Allen Academy, 100 Ursuline- Now the site of a minimum- security federal prison,
Allen Academy was founded by brothers John Hodges Allen and R. O. Allen in Madisonville and
moved to Bryan in 1899. The first boys' preparatory school in Texas, the school was moved to eastern
Boonville Road (FM 158) in 1988. The Mission Revival style main building was built in 1914. The
presence of Allen Academy and Ursuline Academy spurred growth on the city's east side along
Ursuline Avenue. NR. HM.
117. 1200 Ursuline - Armstrong House. Built in 1910 for Robert Armstrong, Sr. N. NR.
118. Site of Villa Maria Ursuline Academy -Both Villa Maria and Ursuline streets led to the girls'
school, which was moved to Bryan from Galveston after the devastating hurricane of 1900. The
Ursuline sisters ran the school here for 28 years. The property, now the Allen Forest subdivision, was
sold to Will Howell in 1935. He tore down the existing school and used the bricks to build two houses.
In 1983 Paul Bonarrigo purchased the buildings and used the bricks to build the Messina Hof Winery
visitor's center locate on Old Reliance Road.
1 19. St. Joseph Catholic School and site of Odd Fellows University, 600 E. 26th - Historical marker for
Odd Fellows University (c. 1870 -75) is on the corner of William Joel Bryan Parkway and Preston
Street, St. Joseph School has been in operation since 1894. The Art Deco Travis Elementary School
Building was constructed in 1927 on the corner of Bryan Parkway and Pierce. It is now St. Joseph's
elementary school.
120. 500 E. William Joel Bryan Parkway -Moore House. Built in 1880 for a prominent lumberman, this
house has a center passageway in the two -room deep Classical style. T. NR.
121. 500 E. 26th - John Coulter Homesite. All that remains of a dog -trot house and carriage house
built for a prominent early merchant. Built in 1868, it is the oldest remaining structure in the city.
122. 600 E. 27th - McDougal -Jones House - Built in 1917. D. NR.
123. 604 E. 27th - A good example of 1920s bungalow style. V. NR.
124. 607 E. 27th - Edwin Jenkins House. Queen Anne style house built 1892 by Charlie Jenkins for his
brother, pharmacist and Bryan mayor E. J. Jenkins, who operated Jenkins Drugstore at 203 N. Main.
NR.
125. 1401 Baker -Built about 1900, this "L- shaped" House is an outstanding example of the
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once - common regional house. NR.
126. 615 E. 29th -This four - square home was built in 1908 by Houston architects Jones and Tabor for
Allister Waldrop, a prominent merchant. NR. HM.
127. 614 E. 29th - Wilkerson House. Built by Charlie Jenkins in 1912 for A. W. Wilkerson, director of
City National Bank. T. NR. HM.
128. 610 E. 29th - Sanders House. Built about 1912 by W. O. Sanders for his family. A good example of
Craftsman style. Incorporates elements of prairie and bungalow styling. T. NR.
129. 611 E. 29th - Dansby House. Built about 1902 for Edward Hall, founder of First State Bank &
Trust. The 600 block`of E. 29th was once known as "Bankers Row." Former Bryan Mayor Roland
Dansby also lived here for many years. T. NR.
130. 600 E. 29th - Astin -Porter House. Built by Charlie Jenkins in 1901 for Mrs. Onah Astin. N. NR.
HM.
131. 500 E. 29th - Wipprecht House. Designed and built by Charlie Jenkins in 1898 for Walter
Wipprecht, one of Texas A &M's first graduates, later Brazos Co. Tax Collector and Business Manager
for Texas A &M. V. NR.
132. 501 E. 29th - James House. This combination Dutch - Revival and Victorian house was built in
1905 for the owner of Tames Drugstore downtown. D. NR.
133. 405 S. Houston -NR,
134. 506 E. 30th -1925 bungalow. NR.
135. 508 E. 30th - Eugene Edge House. The Edge /Dupuy House was built in 1901 by Charlie Jenkins for
the Eugene Edge family. V. NR. HM.
136. 1209 Baker -NR.
137. Fannin School, 1200 Baker -The first public school in Bryan was erected on this site in 1880. The
second school on the site was opened in 1918, and a third school rebuilt on the same site opened in
1990. Some original architectural elements from the 1918 structure are displayed in the school's lobby
as well as the contents of a 1918 time capsule. HM.
138. 601 E. 30th - Transitional style home built by Charlie Jenkins for John H. Moore in 1902. NR.
139, 609 E. 30th - Victorian home built around 1887 for Dr. John blister Howell. NR.
140. 615 E. 30th- Boatwright House. Built in 1903 by I. H. Newton for H. O. Boatwright, president
and one of the founders of First National Bank. V. NR.
141. 600 Block S. Hutchins- Heritage Park. Located on part of the Cavitt Homestead that was referred
to as the Cavitt Pasture, the park is used for local gatherings, including an "old- fashioned" Fourth of
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July celebration and Children's Parade. NR.
142. 700 E. 30th -Built in 1896 by George Jenkins for merchant W. A. Withers, this house has been
significantly altered from its original "L" plan. V. NR.
143. 708 E. 30th -Built around 1907 for grocer and coffee - grinder Hardy Newton by his father, I. H.
Newton, who was a builder. T. NR.
144. 712 E. 30th - McMichael - Wilson House. Built in 1904 by Charlie Jenkins for George W.
McMichael, Brazos Co. clerk, this is a very good example of Queen Anne architecture. NR. HM.
145. 713 E. 30th - Cavitt House. Built about 1878 for William R. Cavitt, a former county attorney,
developer and member of Texas A &M Board of Directors. V. NR.
I 146. 609 S. Ennis -Edge House. Eclectic in style, the structure incorporates elements of Georgian,
Renaissance and other Revival styles. This house was built in 1925 by Charlie Jenkins for Eugene Edge
who operated the Eugene Edge & Son Department Store. Also the site of Texas Woman's College
from 1904 -09 and the Bryan Baptist Academy (1909- 1918). The post beside the driveway on Ennis is
all that remains of the Academy. E. NR. HM.
147. 715 E. 31st -Roy Stone House. Spanish Colonial Revival style built in 1925. NR.
148. 616 E. 31st-Hudson-Harrison House. Built in 1896 by Charlie Jenkins. The Victorian home was
originally located at the corner of S. Houston and E. 28th Streets. The second owner, R. H. Harrison,
Sr., was mayor of Bryan. His daughter Lucy Harrison was the first woman elected to the Bryan City
Council. It was moved to its current site in 1984 to prevent its demolition. NR.
I 149. 603 E. 31 st- Wilkerson Home. Built in 1926, this Bungalow style house has solid rock walls. Dr.
L. 0. Wilkerson was an early Bryan doctor. Along with Dr. Searcy he founded the Wilkerson Memorial
Clinic in 1931. During World War 11 the clinic became Bryan Hospital which has relocated and
evolved into the College Station Medical Center. NR.
150. 600 & 700 Blocks of E. 32nd -A good example of small brick bungalows that were constructed in
the 1930s in an English cottage style.
151. Stephen F. Austin School, 801 S. Ennis- Designed by W. 0. Sanders, Jr. and built in 1938, this
Art Deco building was the city's first separate high school, now a middle school.
152. 812 S. Ennis -J. M. Jones House. Designed by W. 0. Sanders, Jr., one of Bryan's first full -time
architects, in the Tudor Revival style and built about 1930. NR.
WEST SIDE AREA
153. Temple Freda, 201 S. Parker -Named for Ethel Freda Kaczer, whose husband was president of the
congregation when the synagogue was built. The Temple was built in Greek Revival style and
dedicated in 1913. NR.
154. St. Anthony Catholic Church, 306 S. Parker - Area Italians have worshiped at the church since its
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founding in 1896. The design of the present Romanesque Revival church was inspired by the style of
the Cathedral of St. Anthony in Padua, Italy. NR.
155. 409 W. 30th - Blazek House. Bungalow built in 1920. NR.
156. 109 N. Sterling -Built in 1905 this unusually intact Queen Anne Victorian dwelling boasts an
engaged turret and jigsawn and turned ornament. V. NR.
157. 506 W. 26th -Astin House. Built for Roger Q. Astin in 1921, the Eclectic design incorporated
Renaissance and other revival styles. NR.
158. 602 W. 26th -Holt- Oliver House. Built in 1904 for Dr. William Holt Oliver, who founded Bryan's
first hospital. It later became St. Joseph Hospital. All of the construction materials were ordered
through Parker Lumber Co. which was owned by Mrs.. Oliver's family. N. NR.
159.100 S. Congress- Barron House. Built in 1912 for druggist George Smith, this home was later
occupied by District Judge W.S. Barron. N. NR.
160.200 S. Congress - Milton Parker House. This Victorian- Eastlake style house built by German
contractors from Dallas in 1885 was the original home of Miss Maggie Parker's Dining Room and
Boarding House. It was continuously occupied by members of the Parker family until 1991. V. NR.
161. 606 W. 17th -E.A. Kemp House. Built in 1922 by George Powell, this is a good example of a
bungalow. It was the home of Kemp, a prominent African American educator who taught in Bryan
schools from 1909 -29. Kemp School in Bryan was named for him. NR.
ABOUT THIS BROCHURE
This brochure is divided into three main sections: Brazos County, College Station and Bryan.
Information about these main areas is accompanied by a map for each section.
A large group of historic homes is located in Bryan's Eastside Historic District, and on the west side of
Main Street. Both residential areas are just a few blocks from the Brazos County Courthouse.
Mileage notes are estimates of distances between sites. Sites that are on the National Register of
Historic Places are indicated by (NR) at the end of the listing. A complete listing of all National
Register sites in Bryan is available at the Bryan Public Library Reference Desk, 201 East 26th St.,
Bryan, Texas.
Sites with Texas Historical Markers are indicated with (HM). The College Station Historic
Preservation Committee recognizes and marks houses and buildings of historic significance (CS),
including many of the houses moved off the Texas A &M University campus. A brochure listing all of
these houses is available from the College Station Parks and Recreation Department. Additional
information about Texas A &M houses and buildings is available at the Cushing Library 979/845 -1815.
Many of the buildings listed in this brochure are private homes; please respect the owners' privacy and
I view their homes from the public right -of -way.
5 of 6 10 %30!00 8:16 A
file:i //Untitle.
• This brochure was made possible by funding from the Arts Council of Brazos Valley, the Brazos
County Historical Commission, the Brazos Heritage Society, the City of Bryan, and the City of College
Station. ( Brazos Heritage Society. 10/2000.
Brazos Heritage Society
"Citizens for Historic Preservation"
P.O. Box 1776
Bryan, Texas 77806
6 of 6 10/30100 8:16 A
■ Y /I ■I�
���vvG. f rnzo ticri c 6ocicty
Citizens for Historic Preservation
h \
March 28 , 199/
rl�lrrr
Historic Preservation Committee
City of College Sation
P.O. Box 9960
BOARD OF ADVISORS College Station, TX 77840 -9960
ATTN: David Gerling
Philip and Beverly Alexander
Mike and Susan Beal
Bill and Martha Botts
Dear Members of the Historic Preservation Committee,
Aline Brogdon
Travis and Norma Bryan
I am writing to report on the status of our effort
Bicker and Joyce Cain
to publish a new "Guide to Historic Brazos County ", and
Kent and Kathy Caperton to request payment of the amount pledged to this project.
Mary Cedillo
Sharon Dotson The Brazos Heritage Society solicited proposals from
W. D.(Bill)Fitch all advertising agencies listed in the yellow pages, and
David and Julia Gardner
from free -lance writers and graphic artists recommended
Jack and Muggs Gardner
by various individuals. Additionally, we solicited
Jerry and Mary Gaston proposals through the newsletter of the International
Gary and Linda Halter Association of Business Communicators (IABC) .
Ed and Pat Hiler
ara Jarvis Jones Beth Leschper is the individual chosen to produce
of and Felice Klein the brochure. Ms. Leschper has many years of experience
Dale and Tina Knobel in this field, an impressive resume, and a high - quality
Irene E. Lane portfolio. She has worked in several offices on the A &M
John and Ginger Lenihan campus and for HARC, the Houston Area Research
Bob and Candace Leslie Consortium. I have the proposal Ms. Leschper submitted
EmilyLyne and I will be happy to deliver it to you if you would
Peter and Becky Mclntyrc enjoy reviewing it.
Jose Montemayor
Louis and Karen Newman We had our first meeting with Ms. Leschper two weeks
Ural and Lorraine Ocheltree
ago. She is now in the process of reading and
John otts,Jr. formulating a draft of the narrative portion of the
CIinlPhillips brochure. Although there are several contingencies that
Pete and Mary Rodriguez could delay the printing, we hope to have the brochure
JosephineScarmardo finished by September 1. In any event, the brochure will
Sam and Louise Sharp be completed during 1992.
David and Melina Shellenberger
Nova and Val Silvy Enclosed is an invoice for the amount you pledged
Preston and Elizabeth Smith for this project. We appreciate your support of this
Raymond and Johnnie Mae Stanford effort.
Frank and Renee Vandiver
Paul and Dorothy Van Riper
Sincerely,
Madge Wallace
AA AA 0 David and Valerie Woodcock P
Mary Bess Young / //
Colleen Jennings Ba chelor
Project Director
AMMMOMMIIMMOM
Post Office Box 1776 • Bryan, Texas 77806
City of College Station
Check Requisition
L To: p P �n � 1 P / Date _ Z?
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Pia. Co 177,E
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Invoice No. G/L Account NoJProject No. Description Amount
1°Z - 9111- 91'7 - P / DC
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Total / 000
s e Accounting Use Only s *
SEE ABOVE
Voucher No. Amount Invoice No
Account No. SEE ABOVE
P.O. No. Due Date
Project No SEE ABOVE Bank Code Invoice Date
Item Desc. SEE ABOVE Vendor No. Reference
Mail 1, Date: 4- 7- 9,2
'ie above has been reviewed and recommended
. `"for payment by the dersigned. Pick Up ❑ By:
G j Deposit [1] Code:
1
Signature 7 Form AC 001 R. 4/89
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Citizens for Historic Preservation
-^; .',„' lik\ /..","" 5razo llcritagc 6ocicty
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INVOICE
City of College Station
P.O. Box 9960
College Station, Texas 77840 -9960
Amount pledged to assist with publication of
"Guide to Historic Brazos County" $ 1, 000.00
Please remit to:
Brazos Heritage Society
P.O. Box 1776
Bryan, Texas 77806
THANK YOU!
110
Post Office Box 1776 . Bryan, Texas 77806
��� : � �` •= l;
Prazo llcrita5c 6ocicty
' Citizens for Historic Preservation
#
a le
April 28, 1992
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Philip and Beverly Alexander
Mike and Susan Beal
Bill and Martha Botts
Historic Preservation Committee
Aline Brogdon
Travis and rogdorrnaBryan City of College Station
P.O. Box 9960
Bicker and Joyce Cain
Kent and Kathy Caperton College Station, Texas 77842
Mary Cedillo ATTN: David Gerling, PARD
Sharon Dotson
W. D. (Bill) Fitch
David and Julia Gardner
Dear Dr. Halter and Committee Members,
Jack and Muggs Gardner
Jerry and Mary Gaston
Thank you very much for your recent check in support
Gary and Linda Halter of a new "Historic Guide to Brazos County". It is
Ed and Pat Hiler gratifying to have the support of the City of College
illarahmomes
Station as we embark on this project.
•oI and Felice Klein
Dale and Tina Knobel We are fortunate to have received endorsements and
Irene E. Lane financial support from both cities, the county, the
John and Ginger Lenihan Chamber of Commerce and the Arts Council. Support from
Bob and Candace Leslie this broad array of local entities makes this a truly
EmilyLyne cooperative effort that is responding to a widely
Peter and Becky McIntyre recognized need in our community. Your support is a real
Jose Montemayor boost to an effort that will surely work to our mutual
Louis and Karen Newman
benefit.
Ural and Lorraine Ocheltree
John otts,Jr. Thank you for your vote of confidence in this
Clint Phillips project and your investment in the future of historic
Pete and Mary Rodriguez
preservation in this community.
Josephine Scarmardo
Sam and Louise Sharp
David and Melina Shellenberger
Nova and Val Silvy Sincerely,
Preston and Elizabeth Smith
Raymond and Johnnie Mae Stanford /
Frank and Renee Vandiver II l / Paul and Dorothy Van Riper Colleen Jennings Batc 1 04AW4
elor
Madge Wallace
Project Director
David and Valerie Woodcock
Mary Bess Young
Post Office Box 1776 • Bryan, Texas 77806