Texas Governor's Mansion facts for kids
|
Texas Governor's Mansion
|
|
The Texas Governor's Mansion in 2006.
|
|
 Location in Texas
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 1010 Colorado St., Austin, Texas, USA |
|---|---|
| Built | 1854 |
| Architect | Abner Cook |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000896 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | August 25, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | December 2, 1974 |
The Texas Governor's Mansion is a very old and important house. It is located in downtown Austin, Texas. This special house is where the governor of Texas lives. A famous architect named Abner Cook designed it. The mansion was built in 1854. Since 1856, every Texas governor has lived there. Governor Greg Abbott and First Lady Cecilia Phalen Abbott live there now.
In 2008, while the mansion was being fixed up, a fire caused a lot of damage.
Contents
History of the Governor's Mansion
The Governor's Mansion is the oldest house in Texas that people have lived in without stopping. It is also the fourth oldest governor's mansion in the United States to be lived in all the time. In 1962, it was the very first building to be named a Texas historic landmark. Later, in 1970, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1974, it was named a U.S. National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important place in American history.
Design and Changes Over Time
The mansion was built by Abner Cook. It was finished in 1856. The building is designed in a style called Greek Revival. This style often uses tall columns and looks like ancient Greek temples. The mansion sits in the middle of a block. It is surrounded by beautiful trees and gardens.
When it was first built, the mansion was about 6,000 square feet (560 m2) in size. It had 11 rooms, but no bathrooms! In 1914, the mansion was made bigger. It grew to about 8,920 square feet (829 m2). After this update, it had 25 rooms and seven bathrooms.
In 1931, a group was created to help take care of the mansion. This group was called the Board of Mansion Supervisors. They made sure the inside and outside of the house were kept in good condition. This board was later changed in 1965. Its jobs were given to the Texas Commission on the Arts.
The 2008 Fire and Restoration
On June 8, 2008, a fire badly damaged the mansion. This happened early in the morning. Governor Rick Perry and his wife were not home at the time. They had moved out in 2007 because the mansion was going to have big repairs. These repairs started in January 2008. The plans for the repairs included adding a system to stop fires.
Investigators looked into what caused the fire. They found evidence that someone intentionally started the fire. The mansion is 152 years old, so this was a very sad event.
In May 2009, money was set aside to fix the mansion. About $22 million was used for the restoration. Some of this money came from a special government fund. People also donated money to help. The repairs were finished in 2012. The mansion was then ready for the governor to live in again.
See also
