Openheimer-Montgomery Building
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This structure was built in 1894 for Texas military, business, and civil leader Louis Openheimer (1858-1906. Designed and constructed by John McDonald, a prominent citizen who served as Austin’s Mayor from 1889-1895, the building was sold in 1899 to the trustee for 12-year-old Fannie Montgomery and became part of her estate. The Queen Anne commercial structure features projecting second-story bay windows supported by Victorian jigsawn brackets. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1983
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This commercial building went up in 1894 for Louis Openheimer, a Texas military, business, and civic figure, and was designed and built by John McDonald, who served as Austin's mayor from 1889 to 1895. In 1899 it was sold into the estate of 12-year-old Fannie Montgomery. Its Queen Anne styling—projecting second-story bay windows carried on jigsawn Victorian brackets—marks it as a fine example of late-19th-century commercial architecture.
Why it matters
The building ties together the entrepreneurs, architects, and even a sitting mayor who shaped Gilded Age Austin's downtown, preserving the ornate commercial style of the era.
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Related people
- · Louis Openheimer
- · John McDonald
- · Fannie Montgomery
Themes & tags
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