Doak Home
Taylor, Williamson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built in 1860s. Ranch style forerunner. Since 1878 in the family of A. V. Doak, Taylor's first doctor, organizer of mule-drawn streetcar line, civic leader. Son, Dr. Edmond Doak, b. 1878, had spend lifetime in this house. Grandson is Dr. E. K. Doak of Houston. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1965
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in the 1860s in an early ranch-style form, this Williamson County house has belonged to the Doak family since 1878. Its longtime owner, A. V. Doak, was Taylor's first physician and a civic force who helped organize the town's mule-drawn streetcar line. The home passed down through three generations of Doak doctors.
Why it matters
It reflects how frontier Texas towns matured after the Civil War, as pioneering doctors and boosters brought professional medicine and even street transit to raw new settlements.
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Related people
- ยท A. V. Doak
- ยท Dr. Edmond Doak
Themes & tags
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