B. J. Smith Property
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Purchased from State of Texas at auction in 1853, by Smith, a school proprietor. Structure, one of the better early homes in Austin, was probably built in the 1850's. Handmade hardware, doors and others structural parts reveal fine workmanship. Recorded Texas Historic landmark. 1968
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
School proprietor B. J. Smith bought this Austin property at a state auction in 1853, and the home that stands here was likely built during that decade. Its handmade hardware, doors, and structural details reveal the fine craftsmanship of one of early Austin's better residences. It survives as a rare example of the young capital's antebellum domestic architecture.
Why it matters
Homes like this preserve the material texture of Austin in its earliest decades, when the frontier capital was still taking shape.
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Related people
- · B. J. Smith
Themes & tags
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