McKellar House
Forney, Kaufman County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Originally built in 1873 by landowner and merchant John Alexander McKellar (1813-1875), this house was remodeled to its current appearance by his son, B. Yancy McKellar (1859-1916) about 1902. Features of the colonial revival structure include two-story giant order columns with modified Ionic capitals on the north and west facades, stained glass windows, and a wraparound porch. The home remained in the McKellar family until 1977. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1989
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Merchant and landowner John Alexander McKellar built this Forney house in 1873, and around 1902 his son B. Yancy McKellar remodeled it into the Colonial Revival form seen today. Its two-story Ionic columns, stained glass, and wraparound porch reflect the prosperity of a leading local family. The home stayed in McKellar hands until 1977.
Why it matters
It shows how a successful merchant family expressed its standing through architecture, marking the rise of small-town Texas commerce after the Civil War.
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Related people
- · John Alexander McKellar
- · B. Yancy McKellar
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Duncan and Emma McKellar House
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Duncan Graham McKellar and his wife Emma built this two-story frame house in 1886, when the couple stood at the center of Forney and Kaufman County's economic, social, and religious life. Its Queen Anne and Eastlake detailing made it one of the town's first high-style residences, and it remains the oldest surviving example of the style there. The McKellar family owned and lived in the home until 2010.
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