Steele House
Navasota, Grimes County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In the late 1800s, two brothers named Steele had large cotton operations near Navasota, at Allen Farm, and residences diagonally across this corner from each other. A. G. Steele (1853-1900) and wife Etta had this late Victorian home built in 1896 by contractor J. E. Watkins. Eastlake architectural features embellish the porches and entrances. Descendants lived here until 1970. the house now (1974) is owned and preserved by Syd and Margaret Van Wagner. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1974
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In the late 1800s two Steele brothers ran large cotton operations near Navasota and built homes across the corner from one another. A. G. Steele and his wife Etta had this late Victorian residence, rich with Eastlake detailing on its porches and entries, built in 1896 by contractor J. E. Watkins. Steele descendants lived here until 1970, and the house was named a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1974.
Why it matters
The home reflects the wealth generated by cotton agriculture in post-Reconstruction East Texas and the ornate architecture it financed.
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Related people
- · A. G. Steele
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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