Driskill Hotel
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built 1885-86 by Col. Jesse L. Driskill (1824-1890), cattle king who moved to Austin in 1869. Brick dressed with limestone. Had three grand entrances -- one the largest arched doorway in Texas. "Ladies' Entrance" was on northeast. Bust of Col. Driskill is over south arch, busts of his rancher sons on east and west. Rich furnishings were selected by Col. Driskill, who leased out his hotel -- Southwest's finest when it opened, Christmas 1886. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Cattle king Col. Jesse L. Driskill, who drove his fortune up from the open range after moving to Austin in 1869, built this grand hotel in 1885–86 and opened it at Christmas 1886 as the finest in the Southwest. Brick dressed in limestone, it boasted three monumental entrances—one the largest arched doorway in Texas—a separate "Ladies' Entrance," and busts of Driskill and his rancher sons crowning the arches. The colonel personally chose its rich furnishings before leasing the hotel out.
Why it matters
The Driskill turned cattle-drive wealth into a monument of Gilded Age hospitality and remains one of Austin's most storied landmarks. It stands for the moment when the frontier cattle economy matured into urban luxury.
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Related people
- · Jesse L. Driskill
Themes & tags
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