T. J. and Mary Lelia Dick House
League City, Galveston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Thomas Jackson and Mary Lelia (Sherman) Dick lived on their north Galveston County "Buckhorn Ranch" for many years before hiring J. R. Beerwort and O. V. King to build this house in 1904. It is a good example of a two-story center passage plan with a double gallery accented by turned columns, latticework and balustrade. T. J., acclaimed for his role in building the Galveston Seawall, was divorced from Mary Lelia in 1920. The house remained in her family until 1989. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1993
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Thomas Jackson and Mary Lelia Dick ran the Buckhorn Ranch in north Galveston County for years before building this house in 1904, a fine two-story center-passage home with a double gallery trimmed in turned columns, latticework, and balustrade. T. J. Dick was acclaimed for his part in building the Galveston Seawall, the great barrier raised after the deadly 1900 hurricane. The couple divorced in 1920, but the house stayed in Mary Lelia's family until 1989.
Why it matters
The home ties a family's ranching life to one of America's landmark feats of engineering, the seawall built to shield Galveston after the nation's deadliest natural disaster.
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Related people
- ยท Thomas Jackson Dick
- ยท Mary Lelia Sherman Dick
Themes & tags
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