History of Austin

The stately story of how 'the most historic house in Texas' came to downtown Austin

Before Texas was annexed to the United States of America in 1845, Austin was home to the president of the Republic of Texas. President Mirabeau Lamar lived in the President's House at the corner of 7th and San Jacinto streets, where the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown is today.

After a permanent president's home was built in Washington-on-the Brazos, duplicating the ramshackle wooden home in downtown Austin, the city became the site of the Texas Governor's Mansion.

Building "the most historic house in Texas"
Billed as "the most historic house in Texas," the mansion was built in 1854-58 with $14,500 in funding from the sale of donated lots in Austin. The mansion was established before the Texas Capitol, which was later built a short walk from the mansion on Congress Avenue in 1885.

Until the Texas Governor's Mansion became reality, the state's first four governors stayed in local hotels or boardinghouses when the legislature was in session. Once the Texas Governor's Mansion became a reality, furnishings from the President's Home were safely installed for posterity.

The first residents of the home were Gov. Elisha Pease, wife Lucadia, and their three daughters. Not only did Governor Pease have the distinction of being the first resident of the mansion, but he also served as both the 5th and 13th governor of the Lone Star State, ensuring that he lived in the home not once, but twice.

Mansion's changes over history
Although minor changes to the home are typically made at the beginning of new gubernatorial administrations, major structural adaptations have been made throughout the mansion's history to ensure livability and comfort in the home. Among these updates was gas lighting added in the 1870s, telephones and indoor plumbing installed in the 1880s, and electricity wired in the building in the 1890s.

In the late 1970s, when Gov. Bill Clements was in office, $1 million was set aside for extensive renovations to the mansion. To help oversee education and mansion activities, nonprofit The Friends of the Texas Governor's Mansion was established. The Friends successfully raised an additional $3 million toward general repair and refurbishing.

In June 2008, the Texas Governor's Mansion was torched by a Molotov cocktail. Fortunately, then-governor Rick Perry and his family weren't in residence due to renovations. The fire was catastrophic and firefighters were fighting the blaze well into the next morning. Many locals thought it was a miracle that the home was even saved. Although a suspect was identified, charges were never filed and the infamous incident remains a mystery.

In 2012, more renovations were implemented and the grounds as well as the home were adapted to ADA regulations. According to Erika Herndon, executive director of the Friends of the Governor's Mansion, "a sloping path" was added from the gardens into the home, as well as a new, accessible public entrance at the southeast corner of the grounds.

Making the mansion "a home"
Local historian and author Carl McQueary's book Dining at the Governor's Mansion, not only includes recipes served in the mansion throughout history, but stories about the first families and their experiences living in the home.

When asked about his favorite recipes, McQueary shared: "I am a fan of Mrs. Ferguson's [aka "Ma" Ferguson, who served as governor from 1925 to 1927 and 1933 to 1935] Russian Rocks, Mrs. Sayers' Sunshine Cake, and almost anything from Mrs. Shivers. I loved Nelly Connally's anecdote about their favorite meal being buttermilk and corn bread."

Mansion guests especially enjoy Laura Bush's — spouse of Governor George W. Bush —Cowboy Cookies.

More Texas-sized tidbits
The Texas Governor's Mansion is the oldest governor's home west of the Mississippi. The oldest mansion in the country is in Richmond, Virginia. It was opened in 1813.

Four states (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Arizona, and Vermont) have governor's mansions outside of the Capital City.

Former Republic of Texas president turned Texas Governor Sam Houston installed an extra-large bed in the southeast bedroom of the home. Later, the Houston's first family's son, Temple Lea, was born in the bed and became the first person born in the mansion.

The Texas Governor's Mansion remains closed to the general public, however virtual tours are offered.

The mansion was built before the Texas Capitol.

Photo courtesy of Austin History Center

The mansion was built before the Texas Capitol.

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San Antonio leads Texas on ending horse-drawn carriage rides by 2030

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Horses will no longer pull carriages on the streets of downtown San Antonio.

San Antonio has pulled off something that the rest of Texas has yet to do, but it didn't come without some contentious conversations. City Council has unanimously voted (with one abstention) to phase out the use of horse-drawn carriages over the next five years. That means by January 1, 2030, there will be none on the streets at all; instead, there will be electric carriages.

These plans have been in the making since 2022 — if not always at the same level of intensity — when District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 3 Councilmember Phyllis Viagran wrote up some concerns about the horses' wellbeing. A special session at the end of October 2024 hinted to San Antonians that the end for this practice was neigh — sorry, nigh — and the final vote was made on December 12. In addition to accepting the plan, it extended its timeframe by two years.

The initial proposal included worries about the horses' exposure to traffic and pollution, as well how their presence might exacerbate those issues for the environment at large by slowing traffic. It also raised concerns about the effects of standing or walking on hard surfaces for too long, or spending time in extreme weather.

At the December 12 meeting, San Antonians gave impassioned speeches about animal welfare — both to call attention to the need for better conditions and to defend the reputations and jobs of current horse drivers — but it wasn't the first time the council heard from the public about the issue.

In a prior city survey, 50,476 respondents weighed in. Of those respondents, 51.98 percent said they liked the idea to "Transition horse-drawn carriages to electric carriages and pedicabs and ban horse drawn carriages completely." There were alternative solutions listed, but respondents were less drawn to them.

A cultural divide emerged in the data and continued in the December meeting: some people avoided the carriages because they worried about the treatment of the horses, while others enjoyed them because of their historical echoes and living legacy. Many speakers in favor of the plan used this to form their argument, raising questions about history versus progress.

More tangible objections to the plan hinged on the businesses — specifically five companies — and jobs that would be lost, which was the main factor behind extending the adjustment period.

Discussions about the particulars of the electric vehicles are still to come, as confirmed in the discussion near the end of the meeting. Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez addressed concerns about what would happen to the horses, mentioning the Brady Hunter Foundation as a future partner in finding them rescue homes.

Some council members also brought up rhetorical questions about animal exploitation by groups like Sea World, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, military and police forces, and even various groups in the Fiesta parade, although these did not come with a formal motion to pick the issues up.

This decision could have a ripple effect on other Texas cities. Dallas has recently considered a similar ban, but it appears to have stalled; Austin's attempts at a ban have been unsuccessful, but according to the Austin-American Statesman, only one operator is permitted to bring horses downtown. She declines to do so because the long hours are unfair to her and the horses. Houston does have horse-drawn carriages, and there seems to be little conversation about banning them.

Cities like Chicago and Salt Lake City have led the charge in the United States with some of the most prominent successful bans. Other cities around the world with bans include Brussels and Guadalajara, which both switched to electric models. Bans that have been around for years, like Guadalajara's and Prague's, still aren't out of the woods — people are still pushing back on the decision, so it sounds like San Antonio still has much work cut out for it.

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