Texas Governor's Mansion

Infobox_nrhp | name =Governor's Mansion
nrhp_type = nhl

---

caption = The Texas Governor's Mansion in 2006.
location = 1010 Colorado St., Austin, Texas, USA
lat_degrees = 30
lat_minutes = 16
lat_seconds = 21.72
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 97
long_minutes = 44
long_seconds = 34.79
long_direction = W
built = 1855
architect=Abner Cook
architecture= Greek Revival
designated = December 02, 1974cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1049&ResourceType=Building
title=Governor's Mansion (Austin) |accessdate=2008-06-08|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = August 25, 1970cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-04-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
refnum=70000896
governing_body = State of Texas,
Office of the GovernorThe Texas Governor's Mansion is a historic home for the Governor of Texas in downtown Austin, Texas. It was built in 1854, designed by prominent architect Abner Cook, and has been the home of every governor since 1856.

On June 8, 2008, while midway through a major renovation, the mansion was heavily damaged by a fire believed to be arson.cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/us/08cnd-texas.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
author=Sullivan, John|title=Fire Sweeps Through Texas Governor’s Mansion |date=2008-06-08|accessdate=2008-06-08|work=|publisher=The New York Times]

History

The mansion is the oldest continuously inhabited house in Texas and fourth oldest governor's mansion in the United States that has been continuously occupied by a chief executive. The mansion was the first-designated Texas historic landmark, in 1962. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and further was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1974.citation|title=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/70000896.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: The Governor's Mansion] |32 KB|date=August 14, 1974 |author=Chambers, Allen |publisher=National Park Service and PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/70000896.pdf "Accompanying three photos, exterior and interior, from 1966 and 1975"] |32 KB]

2008 fire

The mansion was partially destroyed by a four-alarm fire in the early morning of June 8, 2008. Current Texas Governor Rick Perry and First Lady Anita Perry were in Europe at the time of the fire. They had moved out in October 2007 for a $10 million remodeling project that began in January 2008 to refurbish and restore the mansion to its original appearance. The remodeling was to include a fire suppression system.cite web|url=http://www.kxan.com/global/story.asp?s=8447664
title=Governor's Mansion burns; arson possible |date=2008-06-08|accessdate=2008-06-08|work=|publisher=Austin News KXAN.com] "State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado said Sunday that investigators have evidence that an arsonist targeted the 152-year-old building. They have made no arrests, and don’t have a suspect. An official close to the investigation said agents determined the fire was a criminal act after reviewing footage from security cameras."cite web|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/060808dntexmansion.1049fdc5.html
author=Hoppe, Christy, and Emily Ramshaw|title=Fire marshal says Texas Governor's Mansion blaze appears deliberate
date=2008-06-08|accessdate=2008-06-08|work=|publisher=Dallas Morning News]

Architecture

Designed by Abner Cook in a Greek Revival style, the building occupies the center of a block and is surrounded by trees and gardens. The original mansion was convert|6000|sqft|m2. Remodeling in 1914 increased the size of the mansion to convert|8920|sqft|m2. The original mansion had 11 rooms but no bathrooms. The remodeling brought the room count to 25 rooms and 7 bathrooms.

Paranormal

It was said to be occupied by several ghosts including Sam Houston and the ghost of a former governor's nephew who committed suicide in the northwest bedroom in 1865. [cite web|url=http://www.hollowhill.com/gallery/governors-mansion-1.htm|title=Texas Governor's Mansion...ghost picture?|date=2006|accessdate=2008-06-09|work=|publisher=Hollow Hill]

Notes

References

* "The Texas Governor's Mansion," "The Magazine Antiques", July 2006.

External links

*
* [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.tx0359 Governor's Mansion, 1010 Colorado Street, Austin, Travis County, TX: 21 photos, 11 drawings, 3 data pages and supplemental material] , at Historic American Building Survey