Birchfield - McCown House
Alvin, Brazoria County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built by A. J. Birchfield, first editor of Alvin "Sun", 1894. Often a storm refuge, house kept over 100 safe in famed 1900 coastal hurricane. Leading townspeople -- Greer, Carleton, Finger, and McCown families -- have owned this 12-room Victorian structure. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1972
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
A. J. Birchfield, first editor of the Alvin "Sun," built this twelve-room Victorian house in 1894, and it soon proved its worth: during the catastrophic 1900 coastal hurricane it sheltered more than a hundred people. Passed down through leading local families—the Greers, Carletons, Fingers, and McCowns—the sturdy structure became a fixture of the town. It was named a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1972.
Why it matters
Its role as a storm refuge ties one household to the deadliest natural disaster in American history, the 1900 Galveston hurricane, and to the resilience of Gulf Coast communities.
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Related people
- · A. J. Birchfield
Related events
- · 1900 Galveston hurricane
Themes & tags
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