HistoricSiteMarkers
Progressive & Modern Era

Williams-Weigl House

Austin, Travis County, Texas

Marker Inscription

This c. 1911 home is associated with two important Austin families. New York native Harvey Murdock Williams, a bookkeeper at Ramsey Nursery, and his wife, Euphemia (Sinclair), built the house. In the early 1940s, it passed to their son, Harvey Sinclair Williams, an educator and baseball coach. In 1947, F. Lee Weigl moved his family here. Weigl, like his father, Fortunat, was a craftsman known for his ornate ironwork, some of which can be seen in the home's detailing. With a bungalow form and symmetrical plan, the home has a three-bay porch and central door flanked by sidelights. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2002

Erected by Texas Historical Commission

The Story

Built around 1911 by New York-born bookkeeper Harvey Murdock Williams and his wife Euphemia, this symmetrical bungalow later passed to their son, an educator and baseball coach. In 1947 it became home to the Weigl family, whose members — like the craftsman patriarch Fortunat — were known for ornate ironwork, examples of which survive in the house's detailing. Its three-bay porch and sidelight-flanked door mark it as a comfortable early-20th-century Austin residence.

Why it matters

The house links two Austin families whose trades — teaching and fine ironwork — reflect the mix of professionals and skilled artisans who shaped the growing city's neighborhoods.

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Related people

  • · Harvey Murdock Williams
  • · F. Lee Weigl
  • · Fortunat Weigl

Themes & tags

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