Marble Falls Historic Site Tour Preview

1

Liberty Hall: 2nd Street & Avenue G

Built by General Adam Rankin Johnson in 1887, it offered his family a spectacular view of the Colorado River. The home was purchased by Birdie Harwood's family in 1921. Through its 130 year history, this grand home has been a private residence, a guest house and now is an office building.

2

307 Avenue F

Built in 1909 for Mrs. M.J. Bumgardner as a frame house, the pink granite rubble veneer was added in the 1930s by Joe Powell.

3

503 3rd Street

This late Colonial frame house was built for E.G. Michel in 1894. The family moved in 1906 to accomodations above their downtown drug store and sold the house in 1917.

4

311 4th Street

Built in 1893 for J.A. Arnall, this frame house has Victorian fan detailing and a third level room with a wonderful view.

5

402 Avenue E

Built for A.S. Newberry in 1909, this Craftsman bungalow has river rock on the foundation walls added by later owners.

6

408 Avenue E

In 1934 this pink granite rubble cottage was built for Robert Jay. It had extensive repairs after a fire that occurred during a later remodeling.

7

416 Avenue E

This two-story frame house has a walkout basement storage area. It was built in 1908. Walter Gieseke traded a ranch for the house so that his children could attend school in Marble Falls. The house stayed in the Giesecke family until 1981.

8

410 Avenue F

Joe Morrow owned this framed Victorian home with bay front windows and porch in 1903.

9

401 5th Street

W.K. Shipman had this house built in 1941. Stucco now covers the exterior. There is also a garage apartment.

10

501 5th Street

This hipped and gabled Victorian frame house with a blue metal roof was built for H.L. Tate, Sr. in 1905.

11

510 Avenue E

The pink granite rubble house began as a two bedroom cottage with a detached granite garage in 1933. The home was expanded around 1957.

12

518 Avenue E

Built for R.H. Evans in 1910, this one story house has pink granite veneer, which has been painted gray to match the siding. An addition, including a deck, was added at the back of the house.

13

510 Avenue F

This sandstone cottage was built in 1949 for Alberta Young. After World War II many homes were designed and built with no particular style in mind. The stone used came from a quarry off Mormon Mill Road.

14

601 Avenue F

Otto Ebeling built this frame Victorian home in 1891. A nephew, Robert L. Ebeling, Jr., restored it in 1982 and got the Historical Marker in 1983. The colorful paint job was chosen by the present resident, another member of the family who taught art for many years.

15

501 6th Street

In 1898 William D. Yett built this two-story frame house. It has a mansard roof and a garage apartment. Born in Burnet County, Yett earned his living as a physician. He later served in the state legislature and was mayor of Austin from 1919-1926. American buildings were taxed by their height (or number of stories) to the base of the roof. The height was only measured up to the cornice line, making any living space contained in a mansard roof exempt. A 1902 revision of the law permitted building three, or even four stories within such a roof. ​The house was remodeled in the mid 1990's, and an enclosed swimming pool was added a few years later. The Laura Langham family now lives in the home.

16

601 Avenue E

F.H. Lacy built this white limestone flagstone cottage in 1947.

17

609 Avenue E

This framed Victorian house with porches on two sides was built in 1906 and owned by W.T. Ellison.

18

618 Avenue E

Built for E.C. Holman in 1927, this Craftsman bungalow belonged to the Holman family for many years.

19

518 7th Street

This house of flagstone was built for Charles Rush, Jr. in 1945. The porch and frame two-story portion were added in 1985.

20

604 Avenue F

Built in 1904 as the first parsonage of the First Baptist Church of Marble Falls, this structure was saved from a scheduled demolition in January 2016 when it was moved from its original location at 911 Seventh Street and restored by Randy and Lori Rudman.

21

610 Avenue F

Built in 1907 for E.C. and Mamie Fowler, this Victorian home has a basement and pink granite wall around the yard. Family members have owned the house for about 100 years. The house was remodeled in 2007 and a guesthouse was made of the fieldstone garage.

22

Christian-Matern Home: 603 7th Street

This frame Victorian house was built for George Christian and Juliet Johnson in 1892. The Ivo Matern family llater lived in the house. The Historical Marker inscription states:Juliet Johnson, daughter of the founder of Marble Falls, married George Christian in 1887. He was one of ten owners of the Texas Mining & Improvement Company that developed the town. The first town lots were sold in 1887, and in 1892 this house was built for the Christians. Ivo B. and Mina Matern bought the house in 1908 and owned it for 51 years. Ivo Matern, a merchant and rancher, also served as mayor of Marble Falls in 1937. A fine late Victorian-era house, it exhibits Queen Anne style influences including decorative woodwork and protruding bay windows.

23

511 7th Street

E.A. Christian built this farmhouse in 1892, and members of the Christian family owned it for about four years. The house belonged to many families over its history. R.L. Badger purchased the home in 1896, and Matilda Faubion bought it in 1904. There is some uncertainty over the date when the Cox Family purchased the house. However, Walter and Viola Cox and their daughter, Anna (Francis Herring), owned it for over forty years until 1982, when Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Allison bought it. Mrs. Jeane Allison resides there today.The gingerbread trim on the home is original, and the pear tree in the front yard—at about 140 years old—still produces pears. The home's interior decorations display the craftsmanship of three generations of the Allison family. Jeane Allison's mother and grandmother handmade many of the quilts and embroidery pieces, and Jeane herself has completed dozens of quilts and restored many antique trunks.

24

503 7th Street

R.T. Badger owned this Victorian house in 1899.

25

413 7th Street

Built for C.M. Marrs in 1908, this Victorian hipped frame house has a pink granite wall in the front yard. It has been remodeled several times.

26

419 7th Street

This frame house was built in 1905 and originally owned by R.C. Hill. The house has granite underpinnings.

27

418 Broadway

Don H. Cude, local principal and football coach, owned this pink granite rubble house with columned portico and detached granite garage built in 1929.

28

419 Broadway

In 1946 C.V. Baugh built this flagstone house using native stone.

29

501 Broadway

Built for G.L. Jones in 1927, this territorial transitional pink granite rubble home graced with granite columns sits alone on an entire city block. The wall around the yeard is made of stacked granite capped with mortar.

30

802 Avenue F

Built by William Hoag in 1910, this Arts and Crafts Bungalow was later sold to Sam Faubion, whose family owned it until 1946. Small apartments and rooms were let in the 1940s. It continues to be the home of Brother Max Copeland's family.

31

617 Broadway

Built for A.C. Lacy in 1910, this frame Victorian began as a family residence. It has been used for retail and restaurant space but has been renovated back into a residence.

32

801 N. US Hwy. 281

Formerly the Marble Falls Railroad Depot built in 1893, this building was moved to the present site in 1976. See the Historical Marker.

33

Oran M. Roberts Home: 819 7th Street

Oran M. Roberts built this cottage in 1883 as his retirement home. Robers was president of the 1861 secession convention that authorized Texas's withdrawal from the Union. He was later a Confederate officer and Texas governor. Originally located on a lot near 3rd Street and Main, the house was moved to its present location so that a large lumber and hardware store could be built downtown. The home was owned by the Michel family for over fifty years, and it was awarded a Texas Historical Marker in 1978.

34

508 Main Street

This fine example of Victorian architecture was built in 1911 by one of Marble Falls' first aldermen, Thomas Faulkner Odiorne.

35

Darragh House: 501 Main Street

This house is made from Granite Mountain "rubble" stones left over after shaping blocks that were then railed to Austin for the State Capitol building. Granite Mountain's second owner, George Darrah, built the home for his wife, Rosa, who settled instead for a "town house".

36

Crownover House: 302 Avenue N

Built in the early 1900s by A.W.M. Crownover as a private residence, the house was located originally on the adjacent lot to the south, but moved in 2008 to its present location.

37

Brandt Badger Home: 404 South Avenue M

Another fine example of a "rubble" stone home built with free stones from Granite Mountain that were leftover after shaping blocks then railed to Austin for the State Capitol building. Long utilized as a family home by the Brandt Badger families, it now houses a law office. See Historical Marker.

38

Wallace House: 910 3rd Street

Built in 1907 as a hotel by Victor Bredt in our booming town. Bought by Gertrude Wallace in 1914 and used as a "poor man's lodging house" since it was primarily for traveling salesmen and quarry workers. Now it is a beautifully restored B&B.