Dunlap - Simpson House
Waxahachie, Ellis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
A fine example of Queen Anne Revival architecture, this house has among its many rooms two hexagons, two octagons. It was built in 1890-91 by Judge Oscar E. Dunlap (1849-1925), a banker, political leader, chairman of Texas Council of Defense in World War I, Good Roads advocate, industrialist, humanitarian, founder of the Sims Library, Waxahachie. Later owners have included Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Prince, Mrs. Sadie R. Hardesty, and Mr. and Mrs. Max H. Simpson. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1974
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1890-91, this exuberant Queen Anne Revival house—complete with hexagonal and octagonal rooms—was the home of Judge Oscar E. Dunlap, a Waxahachie banker, industrialist, and civic leader. Dunlap founded the Sims Library and championed the Good Roads movement, and the home later passed through a succession of prominent local families. It stands as a showpiece of late-nineteenth-century architectural ambition.
Why it matters
The home reflects the confidence and civic-mindedness of Gilded Age town leaders who built libraries, banks, and grand houses to anchor growing Texas communities.
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Related people
- · Oscar E. Dunlap
- · Max H. Simpson
Themes & tags
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