Crocheron-McDowall House
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Crocheron-McDowall House | |
|---|---|
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
 |
|
| Location: | 1502 Wilson St. Bastrop, Texas, USA |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Built/Founded: | 1857 |
| Added to NRHP: | April 20, 1978 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 78003357 |
| Governing body: | Lower Colorado River Authority |
The Crocheron-McDowall House is a Greek Revival style house located in Bastrop, Texas. The two-story house was built in 1857 for Bastrop merchant Henry Crocheron and was for many years the social and intellectual center in Bastrop. The structure was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on April 20, 1978.
In 1837, Crocheron moved to Bastrop with 12 slaves. He sold the slaves and used the money to open several stores in the town. He was one of the founders of the Bastrop Steam Mill, Incorporated, Bastrop's first industrial enterprise. He served as county treasurer from 1851 to 1853.
Quickly amassing a fortune, Crocheron decided to build a home that would symbolize his affluence. Materials were of the finest quality available. The windows and hand carved banister were made in New York and shipped to Galveston, and then brought by rail and wagon to Bastrop.
Soon after the house was completed, the Civil War broke out. During the war, Crocheron's niece, Mary Ann Nicholson, moved into the house. Accompanying her uncle on a business trip to Matamoras in 1864, Nicholson met William McDowall. The two married four years later and eventually settled in London. Mr. McDowall died the following year of yellow fever he contracted while in Central America. In 1869, Mrs. McDowall and her three month old daughter, Ruth, returned to Bastrop to live with Crocheron. When he died in 1874, McDowall inherited the house.
McDowall soon began teaching music and the house became a social and intellectual center. Numerous parties, lectures and concerts were given at the house. In 1897, Ruth died and Mrs. McDowall moved to Houston to live with her sister. When McDowall died in 1933, the house was sold. Since then it has had many owners and is now part of the Lower Colorado River Authority Riverside Conference Center.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Texas Historic Sites Atlas
- Spears, Mike. "A look at the final three stops on the Holiday Homes Tour". The Bastrop Advertiser, Dec. 6, 2007, pp 11A, 13A.
