Old Rock Store
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Influenced by the style of early German rock buildings in central Texas, James Andrew Patton (1853-1944) supervised the construction of this building in 1898. A German mason laid the stone. Patton fought Comanches as a Texas Ranger and was a civic leader and local postmaster. He was known affectionately as "the mayor of Oak Hill." He and his family, followed by others, operated a general store here for many years. The building also housed a local Woodmen of the World lodge hall on the second floor. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1970
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
James Andrew Patton oversaw the building of this stone store in 1898, its walls laid by a German mason in the tradition of the early German rock buildings of central Texas. Patton had earlier ridden as a Texas Ranger in conflicts with the Comanches before becoming a civic leader and postmaster known fondly as 'the mayor of Oak Hill.' His family and others ran a general store here for years, with a Woodmen of the World lodge meeting upstairs.
Why it matters
The store links the frontier era of Ranger service to the settled village life that followed, and its German-influenced masonry reflects the immigrant craftsmanship that shaped the Texas Hill Country.
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Related people
- · James Andrew Patton
Themes & tags
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