Rawlins Homestead
Lancaster, Dallas County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In 1845 Roderick Rawlins the elder settled this area. His son Roderick A. Rawlins (1833 - 1910) married his teacher, Virginia Bledsoe, daughter of the founder of Lancaster. They started this house in 1855. After serving as a Confederate officer during the Civil War (1861-65), Capt. Rawlins rebuilt his home in the popular Greek Revival style. It stood halfway between Waxahachie and Dallas. Travelers obtained water and sometimes camped at its well. RTHL - 1964
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The Rawlins family settled this stretch of Dallas County in 1845, and in 1855 Roderick A. Rawlins — who had married his teacher, Virginia Bledsoe, daughter of Lancaster's founder — began building here. After serving as a Confederate officer during the Civil War, Captain Rawlins rebuilt his home in the fashionable Greek Revival style. Standing halfway between Dallas and Waxahachie, the house became a welcome stop where travelers drew water and camped by the well.
Why it matters
Homesteads like this trace the settlement of North Texas and the disruptions of the Civil War through the story of a single family and its house.
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Related people
- · Roderick A. Rawlins
- · Virginia Bledsoe
Themes & tags
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