Whitaker-McClendon House
Tyler, Smith County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built about 1880 for attorney Harrison Moores Whitaker and his wife, Mattie, daughter of Texas Supreme Court Justice Micajah H. Bonner, this is one of the few remaining high Victorian residences in Tyler. The home was purchased by Mattie's sister, Annie, and her husband, Sidney Smith McClendon, in 1907. It remained in the McClendon family until 1979. With Italianate and Eastlake style influences, the home features an asymmetrical plan and outstanding detailing. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1988
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built about 1880 for attorney Harrison Moores Whitaker and his wife Mattie—daughter of Texas Supreme Court Justice Micajah H. Bonner—this is one of Tyler's few surviving high Victorian residences. In 1907 it passed to Mattie's sister Annie and her husband Sidney Smith McClendon, remaining in that family until 1979. Its asymmetrical plan and Italianate and Eastlake detailing mark it as a showpiece of the era's domestic architecture.
Why it matters
Carried down through the Bonner sisters across a century, the house preserves a rare and finely detailed example of Gilded Age Victorian design in East Texas.
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Related people
- · Harrison Moores Whitaker
- · Mattie Bonner Whitaker
- · Annie Bonner McClendon
- · Micajah H. Bonner
Themes & tags
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