Williams-Erwin House
Waxahachie, Ellis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Erected in 1893 for Edward Williams, this Victorian home reflects the affluence of local cotton merchants during the late 19th century. Waxahachie contractor C.J. Griggs supervised the construction. Beaded boards and shingling decorate the exterior walls, and elaborate eastlake style detailings adorns the porch. Williams sold the house in 1902 to R.K. Erwin, another prominent businessman. The Erwin family owned it until 1943.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1893 for Edward Williams, this ornate Victorian home displayed the wealth that cotton brought Waxahachie's merchants in the late 19th century. Local contractor C.J. Griggs oversaw its construction, dressing the exterior in beaded boards and shingling and the porch in elaborate Eastlake detailing. Williams sold the house in 1902 to another prominent businessman, R.K. Erwin, whose family kept it until 1943.
Why it matters
The house is a monument to the cotton economy that made Waxahachie prosperous, its Victorian flourishes advertising the fortunes built on North Texas farmland.
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Related people
- · Edward Williams
- · C.J. Griggs
- · R.K. Erwin
Themes & tags
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