Woodlawn (Austin, Texas) facts for kids
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Woodlawn
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Woodlawn in 2006.
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| Location | 1606 Niles Rd Austin, Texas, USA |
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| Built | 1853 |
| Architect | Abner Cook |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000772 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 25, 1970 |
Woodlawn, also called the Pease Mansion or Governor Shiver's Mansion, is a historic house in Austin, Texas. It was built before the American Civil War (1861-1865). This beautiful house is built in the Greek Revival style. Two Texas governors once owned Woodlawn.
Many famous people have visited the mansion over the years. These visitors include Sam Houston, General George Custer, the artist Elisabet Ney, entertainer Will Rogers, and costume designer Edith Head. Woodlawn was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1970. This means it is an important historical site.
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History of Woodlawn Mansion
The land where Woodlawn stands was once very large. It covered about 365 acres (1.5 square kilometers) in West Austin.
Building the Mansion
In the early 1850s, James Shaw was the Texas State Comptroller. A comptroller is a state official who manages government money. Shaw asked a skilled builder named Abner H. Cook to construct a house for him. Abner Cook also designed the famous Texas Governor's Mansion.
The house was finished in 1853. James Shaw married and lived in the new house. Sadly, his young child passed away at age two. A few months later, his wife also died.
The Pease Family Era
In 1857, James Shaw sold the Woodlawn estate. He sold it to Elisha M. Pease, who was a Texas governor, and his wife, Lucadia Christiane Niles Pease. Shaw then moved to Galveston. The Pease family named their new home "Woodlawn."
Governor Pease developed much of the land around Woodlawn. This land became the neighborhood known today as Enfield. Four generations of the Pease family lived at Woodlawn. They lived there until 1957.
The Shivers Family Era
In 1957, Niles Graham, a member of the Pease family, sold the house. By then, only three acres of land remained with the house. The new owners were Allan Shivers and his wife, Marialice Shary Shivers. Allan Shivers was also a Texas governor.
The Shivers family moved into Woodlawn on January 15, 1957. This was almost exactly 100 years after the Pease family first moved in.
On October 27, 1975, the Shivers family made a special gift. They donated Woodlawn to the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas–Pan American. They had a special agreement: they could continue to live in the house until they passed away. Allan Shivers died in 1985. Marialice Shivers passed away on September 29, 1996.
Woodlawn and the State of Texas
In December 1997, the University of Texas sold Woodlawn to the State of Texas. The state paid $2.6 million for the property. The money from the sale helped create special funds. These funds support teaching positions at the University of Texas.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock had a dream. He wanted Woodlawn to become the new Texas Governor's Mansion. However, Bullock passed away in 1999, and his dream did not come true.
Since the state no longer had a clear use for Woodlawn, it was expensive to keep. In 2002, the State of Texas decided to sell it. They put the house up for sale through a sealed bid process. Actress Sandra Bullock reportedly visited the home as a possible buyer. However, she did not make a bid. Only one bid was received, but it was not serious.
The state then started contacting interested buyers directly. In May 2002, an investor from Austin named Jeff Sandefer signed a contract to buy the estate. The deal was for $3.1 million. But the deal fell apart in August 2002. Sandefer was concerned about the rules for restoring the historic house. He worried about the high costs of these rules.
Finally, on November 15, 2002, Woodlawn was sold. Mr. Sandefer bought the estate for $2,851,100. He bought it through a company called Woodlawn-Pease, LLC.
Today, Woodlawn is a central part of the Old West Austin Historic District. This district includes much of the land that the Pease family once owned.
- This information was obtained by phone from the Texas General Land Office Archives and Records. Sep. 28, 2006.
- According to Travis County property tax database, WOODLAWN PEASE LLC is a Jeff Sandefer Company. Thus, Jeff Sandefer successfully purchased Woodlawn. See: http://www.traviscad.org/travisdetail.php?theKey=112663
- Bertetti, Laura and Sniffen, John. "Shivers Recounts Woodlawn Anecdotes". Daily Texan, Oct. 28, 1975.
- Jayson, Sharon. "Pease Mansion again up for sale". Austin American-Statesman, Aug. 20, 2002.
