Autry House
Houston, Harris County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This house was built in 1921 by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas as a student center for Rice University. It was designed by Houston architect William Ward Watkin and the Boston architectural firm of Cram & Ferguson in the Italian Mediterranean style featured on many Rice University campus structures. The house is named for James Lockhart Autry (1859-1920), Texaco general counsel and husband of Allie Kinsloe Autry who donated funds for its construction. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1994
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1921 by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas as a gathering place for Rice University students, Autry House echoed the Italian Mediterranean style of the young campus nearby. It was designed by Houston architect William Ward Watkin with the Boston firm Cram & Ferguson and named for Texaco general counsel James Lockhart Autry, whose widow Allie funded its construction. It became an early hub of student life at Rice.
Why it matters
The house reflects the close ties between religious institutions and the growth of American universities in the early twentieth century, and the philanthropy that shaped campus culture.
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Related people
- · James Lockhart Autry
- · Allie Kinsloe Autry
- · William Ward Watkin
Themes & tags
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