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Reconstruction & Gilded AgeProgressive & Modern Era

Maverick-Carter House

San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

Marker Inscription

The three-story limestone Maverick-Carter house was constructed on the north side of San Antonio’s central business district in 1893 for real estate developer William Harvey Maverick, son of Texas Declaration of Independence signer Samuel Augustus Maverick. When originally built, the home was situated on the banks of the San Antonio River, which was rechanneled for flood control purposes in 1920. Maverick raised his children in the home and resided here until 1910, when he sold the house to his son, Robert. Attorney and former president of the Texas Bar Association, H.C. Carter, purchased the house in 1914. Carter’s second wife, Aline (Badger), converted the first floor library into a chapel and constructed an observatory on the roof of the home ca. 1925. Aline, a noted poet, artist, astronomer, musician and humanitarian, served as poet laureate of Texas from 1947-49. Aline also taught astronomy to children and hosted an annual Christmas party for San Antonio orphans here in her home. After raising three children and H.C.’s death in 1948, Aline continued to live here until her death in 1972; the home remains in the Carter family. The 23-room home was designed by prominent San Antonio architect Alfred Giles (1853-1920), who also designed at least nine other buildings for the Maverick family. The Richardsonian Romanesque façade features rusticated stone walls and sills, round and arched windows, a rounded tower with a conical roof, a porte-cochere and a slate roof. The house was designed with multiple parlors and bedrooms. Significant interior materials include bird’s eye maple and oak wainscoting, hard pine doors and window frames, sandstone mantelpieces and parquet floors.

Erected by Texas Historical Commission

The Story

Built in 1893 for real-estate developer William Harvey Maverick—son of Texas Declaration of Independence signer Samuel Maverick—this three-story limestone mansion rose on the banks of the San Antonio River and was designed by the prominent architect Alfred Giles. In 1914 it passed to attorney H.C. Carter, whose wife Aline added a rooftop observatory and a chapel and served as Texas poet laureate from 1947 to 1949. A noted astronomer and artist, she taught the stars to local children and hosted Christmas parties for San Antonio orphans here.

Why it matters

The house links one of Texas's most storied families to a remarkable woman of letters and science, and to the Richardsonian Romanesque grandeur of San Antonio's Gilded Age.

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Related people

  • · William Harvey Maverick
  • · Samuel Augustus Maverick
  • · Aline (Badger) Carter
  • · H.C. Carter
  • · Alfred Giles

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