Edward Steves Homestead facts for kids
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Eduard Steves Homestead
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Steves House in 2012
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 Eduard Steves Homestead
Location in Texas
Eduard Steves Homestead
Location in the United States
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| Location | 509 King William St., San Antonio, Texas |
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| Built | 1877 |
| Architect | Alfred Giles |
| Architectural style | Second French Empire |
| Part of | King William Historic District (ID72001349) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Designated CP | January 20, 1972 |
The Edward Steves Homestead is a historic home in San Antonio, Texas. It was designed by a famous architect named Alfred Giles. This special house is now a museum. It is open for tours every day.
The homestead includes four main buildings. There is the main house, a carriage house, a river house, and servants' quarters. It is an important part of the King William Historic District. This district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Bexar County, Texas.
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The Steves Homestead Property
The main house was designed by Alfred Giles. He worked for John H. Kampmann. The house was built using limestone from local quarries. It has four bedrooms. The construction finished in 1877 and cost $15,000.
The house was recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1970. It has a special roof called a mansard roof. Its outside walls are very thick, about 13 inches. The house was quite modern for its time. It had a telephone, electric lights, and running water. The doors in the living room had beautiful etched glass panels.
Becoming a Museum
In 1952, Edward Steves' granddaughter, Edna Steves Vaughan, donated the main house. She and her husband, Curtis Vaughan, gave it to the San Antonio Conservation Society (SACS). SACS now takes care of the house as a museum. They offer daily tours.
When SACS first wanted to buy the house, Mrs. Vaughan offered to donate it. She only asked that the people living there at the time could stay as caretakers. The house was restored in 1954. It was made to look like it did when the Steves family lived there. Many family members donated their old furniture for the museum. One special piece is a mosaic table showing St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. Yale University also donated an old 1857 grand piano.
Other Buildings
Besides the main house, there are three other buildings. The carriage house was built even before the main house, in 1875. It was restored in 1976 and 1977. The servants' quarters were built in 1877. They were restored later, in 1983 and 1984.
The river house is a one-story brick building. It used to have San Antonio's first indoor swimming pool, called a natatorium. When SACS restored the property, they covered the pool with flooring. Now, the river house is used for different activities.
About Edward Steves
Edward Steves (1829–1890) was an important person in San Antonio. He moved to Texas from his home country, Germany. He and his wife, Johanna, also had a family home in Kendall County.
Edward Steves owned a very successful business. It was called Steves Lumber Company, and he ran it from 1866 to 1877. He was also a leader in the San Antonio community. He was a city alderman, which is like a city council member. He served on the Board of Trade and the Volunteer Fire Company No. 2. He was also active in German community groups, like the Schuetzen Verein and the Casino Club.
See also
