Harris-Savage Home
Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The roots of the Harris-Savage House go back to 1843, when pioneers William W. Cochran (1807-1853), the first Dallas County Clerk, and his wife, Nancy Jane Hughes (1817-1877), lived in Peters Colony. Their grandson, William (Will) Randolph Harris (1877-1948), was born in Farmers Branch in Dallas County. After graduating high school, Will studied law under his first cousin R.E.L. Knight and J.L. Harris of the firm Harris & Knight. He was admitted to the Texas bar in 1900 and remained with what became Thompson, Knight, Harris, Wright and Weisburg his entire legal career. Will and his wife, Minnie Beulah Bookhout (1881-1955), moved into this home in 1921. Will had a distinguished career, including the successful impeachment of Gov. James “Pa” Ferguson, and Minnie was an active clubwoman. Dorothy Harris Savage (1918-1999) inherited the home from her mother, Minnie, and with her husband, former Dallas Mayor Wallace Savage (1912-2000), continued the family legacy there. The Savages were founders of the Dallas Academy, served on numerous civic and philanthropic boards and contributed greatly to the historic preservation movement in Dallas with involvement in the Historic Preservation League (now Preservation Dallas). With their help, this house and area were listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, the first listed district in Dallas. The 1917 Mission style residence boasts two curvilinear parapets; one defines the central entry to the front porch and the other enhances a large gabled attic dormer with palladian window. Otherwise, the house design owes much to the prairie style with horizontal lines, triple windows, square brick piers and widely overhanging eaves. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 2013
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The Harris-Savage House traces a Dallas family line back to 1843 pioneers, but its story centers on attorney Will Randolph Harris, who moved into this Mission-style home in 1921 after a career that included the successful impeachment of Governor James "Pa" Ferguson. His daughter Dorothy and her husband, former Dallas Mayor Wallace Savage, later carried on the family's civic legacy, founding the Dallas Academy and helping lead the city's historic-preservation movement. Their efforts helped make this house and neighborhood the first National Register historic district in Dallas in 1974.
Why it matters
The home links a prominent legal and political family to the birth of Dallas's preservation movement, showing how private citizens fought to save the architectural heritage of a fast-growing American city.
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Related people
- · Will Randolph Harris
- · Wallace Savage
- · Dorothy Harris Savage
Themes & tags
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