M. Kangerga House
Henderson, Rusk County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built 1901 by Michael Kangerga (1873-1962), a native of Croatia, Austria-Hungary, who settled in Henderson in 1887 and with his brother Rade Kangerga founded M. Kangerga & Bro., a mercantile and financial institution, 1895. In 1896 he married Lillian (1875-1951), daughter of Joseph S. and Ronda Tatum Gladney. He was a volunteer U. S. weather observer for 50 years (winning the John Campanius Holm Award) before he died in Henderson at age 89. House is an excellent example of turn-of-the-century design, virtually unaltered. George F. Barber & Co., Knoxville, Tennessee, architects. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1969
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Michael Kangerga left Croatia, then part of Austria-Hungary, and settled in Henderson in 1887, founding a mercantile and financial house with his brother in 1895. In 1901 he built this virtually unaltered turn-of-the-century home, designed by the noted architectural firm George F. Barber & Co. of Knoxville. Kangerga was also a volunteer U.S. weather observer for fifty years, earning a national award before his death in 1962.
Why it matters
The house embodies the immigrant success story woven through Gilded Age America — a newcomer who built commerce, civic service, and a lasting home in a small Texas town.
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Related people
- · Michael Kangerga
- · Rade Kangerga
- · Lillian Gladney
Themes & tags
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