Tucker-Smith House
Taylor, Williamson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built in 1892 by prominent local lumber man J. E. Tucker, this residence originally reflected the Queen Anne style. Decker Franklin Smith purchased the house in 1905. In 1916 Smith extensively remodeled the house in the Mission style, which was then gaining popularity in Texas. Its prominent features include a wraparound porch, paired Doric columns, and quatrefoil windows. Smith continued to live here until 1920. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1991
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Prominent lumberman J. E. Tucker built this Taylor residence in 1892 in the fashionable Queen Anne style. After Decker Franklin Smith bought it in 1905, he remodeled it extensively in 1916 in the then-popular Mission style, adding a wraparound porch, paired Doric columns, and distinctive quatrefoil windows. The house records the shifting architectural tastes of a prospering Central Texas town.
Why it matters
The building's layered styles capture how turn-of-the-century Texas towns expressed new prosperity through changing architectural fashion.
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Related people
- · J. E. Tucker
- · Decker Franklin Smith
Themes & tags
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