Whitaker–McClendon House facts for kids
Whitaker–McClendon House in 2014
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | 806 W. Houston St. Tyler, Texas |
|---|---|
| Type | History |
|
Whitaker–McClendon House
|
|
| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1880 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Stick/Eastlake, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004522 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | June 2, 1982 |
The Whitaker–McClendon House is a special museum in Tyler, Texas. It's like stepping back in time! This house is also known as the McClendon House or the Bonner–Whitaker–McClendon House. A famous reporter named Sarah McClendon, who reported from the White House, was born and grew up right here.
This historic house is recognized as a National Register of Historic Places site. It is also a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and a Tyler Historical Landmark.
Contents
The House's Story
This beautiful Victorian house was built between 1878 and 1880. It has cool design elements from the Italianate and Eastlake styles. A local lawyer named Harrison Moores Whitaker built it.
Building the House
The house is made of cypress and pine wood and sits on a strong brick foundation. The first floor has a main entrance, a living room, one bedroom with a bathroom, and a kitchen with a dining room. Upstairs, on the second floor, there are four more bedrooms and two bathrooms.
In 1910, some changes were made. Tall, fancy columns were added to the front porch. Also, a new bedroom with its own bathroom was built on the second floor, complete with its own porch.
Who Lived Here?
The land where the house stands was once owned by James Pinckney Henderson. He was the very first governor of Texas! When Harrison Whitaker married Mattie, her father, Micajah H. Bonner, bought the land as a wedding gift for them. Mattie's father was a judge on the Texas Supreme Court.
Sadly, Mattie passed away in 1892. Harrison Whitaker remarried in 1903 and moved away to Jefferson County. He then rented out the house.
In 1907, Mattie Whitaker's sister, Anne, and her husband, Sidney Smith McClendon, bought the house. Their youngest child, Sarah McClendon, was born in this house in 1910. Sarah later became a well-known reporter who covered news from the White House.
Historical Recognition
The Whitaker–McClendon House became part of the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It was also named a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1988. The City of Tyler has also recognized it as a Tyler Historical Landmark.
Visiting the Museum
Today, the Whitaker–McClendon House is a "living history" museum. This means you can visit and learn about what life was like in the past. The museum shows off old items and important papers. These exhibits cover different periods of Texas history, from before the Civil War all the way through World War I and World War II. It's a great place to see how people lived long ago!
See also
