About this property
The General Land Office Building, completed in 1857, in Austin, Texas is the oldest surviving state government office building in the city and the first building designed by a university-trained architect (German architect Christoph Conrad Stremme). The building features a dramatic medieval castle style known as Rundbogenstil, or "rounded arch" around the windows and doors. There is also a Norman style influence in the castle-like parapets. The exterior walls are limestone rubble smoothed over with stucco and scored to simulate cut stone blocks. The building is located on the southeast corner of the Texas State Capitol grounds. One employee, William Sidney Porter - pen name O. Henry Porter - worked in the office from 1887 to 1891, and would later attain fame as a writer. Some of his works would include those set at the building, such as "Bexar Script No. 2692" and "Georgia's Ruling". The building functioned as the state's land office building until 1917 (60 years) when the agency moved to a larger building across the street. From 1919 until 1988 (70 years) the building housed museums run by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas on the second floor, and the United Daughters of the Confederacy on the first floor. The building was modified during the mid-20th century but was vacated, then restored between 1989 and 1992. The project returned the building's interior and exterior to resemble its late 19th-century appearance. Today, it serves as the Capitol Visitors Center, offering exhibits and tours about the Texas State Capitol. There is also a Texas Department of Transportation Travel Center that offers free maps and literature on travel destinations throughout the state. The building was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1962 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1970.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Old Land Office Building
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Questions about this property
When was Old Land Office Building listed on the National Register?
Old Land Office Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 24, 1970.
What type of historic resource is Old Land Office Building?
Old Land Office Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Old Land Office Building?
The period of significance for Old Land Office Building is recorded as the civil_war era.
Can I research the history near Old Land Office Building?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Old Land Office Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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