Davis House
Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas
Marker Inscription
William O. Davis (d. 1941), a veteran of the Civil War, came to Texas in 1870. Self-educated, he became a prominent local attorney and from 1876 to 1882 represented the area in the Texas Senate. An active civic leader, he later served as Gainesville's first Mayor. In 1891 he built this Queen Anne style residence. Its ornate gingerbread trim and decorative brickwork reflected Sen. Davis' status as a prominent early leader of the community. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982. Incise in base: Marker placed by Lt. Col. and Mrs. R. D. Buttolph, owners since 1974.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This ornate Queen Anne residence, built in 1891, was the home of William O. Davis — a Civil War veteran who came to Texas in 1870 and rose from a self-educated background to become a prominent Gainesville attorney, state senator, and the town's first mayor. Its gingerbread trim and decorative brickwork advertised Davis's standing among the community's early leaders during the flush years of the Gilded Age. The house was recorded as a Texas Historic Landmark in 1982.
Why it matters
The residence gives architectural form to the civic ambition of a self-made Reconstruction-era leader who helped shape early Gainesville.
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Related people
- · William O. Davis
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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