Baker-Jones House
Houston, Harris County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Prominent attorney, banker, and industrialist James Addison Baker (d. 1941) purchased this property in 1915. He hired noted Houston architect Birdsall P. Briscoe to design this house, which he presented as a gift to his daughter, Alice Graham Baker and her husband, Murray Brashear Jones. Completed in 1917, the Baker-Jones House is an excellent local example of an early-20th century grand residence. Classical stylistic influences are exhibited in its refined and symmetrical proportions. The structure's prominent architectural features include a pedimented entrance pavilion flanked by Doric pilasters, with a recessed entry portico supported by fluted Doric columns. Also of note are the multi-light windows and round-headed dormers. Murray Jones was a respected lawyer who served as assistant district attorney and Harris County judge. Alice Baker Jones was a prominent local civic leader involved in numerous church and charitable activities. The house was sold out of the family in 1938. It has undergone a succession of owners since that time but remains one of the best preserved examples of Birdsall P. Briscoe's work in Houston. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1991
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Prominent Houston attorney and banker James Addison Baker bought this property in 1915 and hired noted architect Birdsall P. Briscoe to design a home as a gift for his daughter Alice and her husband, Murray Brashear Jones. Completed in 1917, the elegant residence shows off classical proportions, a pedimented entrance, and fluted Doric columns. Murray Jones served as a Harris County judge, while Alice became a well-known civic and charitable leader.
Why it matters
The house is a fine surviving example of architect Birdsall P. Briscoe's work and of the gracious residential world Houston's early-twentieth-century elite built for themselves.
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Related people
- · James Addison Baker
- · Birdsall P. Briscoe
- · Alice Graham Baker Jones
- · Murray Brashear Jones
Themes & tags
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