Magoffin Homestead facts for kids
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Magoffin Homestead
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Magoffin Home State Historic Site
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 Magoffin Homestead
Location in Texas
Magoffin Homestead
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1120 Magoffin Ave El Paso, Texas |
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| Area | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1875 |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Part of | Magoffin Historic District (ID16000717) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000931 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 31, 1971 |
| Designated CP | October 11, 2016 |
The Magoffin Home is a historic house located in El Paso, Texas. It was built in 1875 and is a very important part of Texas history. This special home is now known as the Magoffin Home State Historic Site. It is managed by the Texas Historical Commission.
The Magoffin Home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. This means it's recognized as a place worth protecting. The area around the home was also named the Magoffin Historic District in 1985.
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About the Magoffin Home
The Magoffin Home was built in 1875. It shows a mix of different building styles. It uses local adobe (a type of brick made from earth) and also has fancy Greek revival details. This style is called Territorial style.
The house has very thick adobe walls. These walls help keep the house cool in the hot Texas summers. They also keep it warm during the winter. The home has 19 rooms and 8 fireplaces. The ceilings are very tall, about 14 feet high!
The house was built in three parts, or "wings," over time. The last part was built in the 1880s. It connected the first two wings together. Many of the original furniture pieces are still there. You can even see an 11.5-foot-tall bed!
Who Lived Here?
The Magoffin Home was built by a pioneer named Joseph Magoffin. He lived there with his wife, Octavia MacGreal. They stayed in the house until they passed away. Joseph and Octavia had two children, James and Josephine.
James Magoffin married Anne Buford. They had four children: Anne, James, Mary, and Jim. Sadly, James died in 1913. His wife, Anne, continued to live at the homestead. She took care of her father-in-law, Joseph, until he died in 1923.
Josephine Magoffin married William Jefferson Glasgow. He later became a Brigadier General in the military. Their wedding was a huge event, called the "wedding of the century" by newspapers! After Joseph Magoffin died, Josephine inherited the house. James's family moved to Los Angeles.
The last family member to live in the home was Octavia Magoffin Glasgow. She was Josephine's daughter. Octavia lived in the house until she passed away in 1986. The Magoffin family lived in the home for 109 years!
Home Updates and Restoration
After William and Josephine Glasgow retired from the military, they returned to El Paso. They updated the inside of the home. They added gas heating and electricity. They also modernized the kitchen and updated the plumbing.
During these updates, they covered the old Victorian wallpapers with plaster. They also removed the canvas ceilings.
In 1976, the home was sold to the City of El Paso and the State of Texas. However, Joseph's granddaughter, Octavia Magoffin Glasgow, was allowed to live there for the rest of her life. She continued to live in the home until 1986.
From 1977 to 1978, the house was carefully restored. This work was done by Eugene George. He was a professor who specialized in historic preservation.
Visiting the Magoffin Home Today
The Magoffin Home is located at 1120 Magoffin Avenue in El Paso, Texas. It is currently owned by both the City of El Paso and the State of Texas. The Texas Historical Commission has been taking care of the historic site since 2007. Before that, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department oversaw it since 1976.
There is a special historical marker at the site. The Casa Magoffin Companeros (which means "Friends of the Magoffin Home") help with events there. They host fun kids' camps and classes in the summer. They also have a Holiday Open House in December.
You can take tours of the home from Tuesday through Sunday. Tours are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last tour starts at 4 p.m. You can buy tickets for the tour and find unique gifts at the Visitor Center. It's located across the street from the home at 1117 Magoffin Avenue.
See also
