This is a guest post by Shane Hobbs. Shane Hobbs is the owner of Dalworth Restoration, a Dallas based fire and water damage restoration company. The business was founded in 1976 and has evolved through the years to provide comprehensive restoration services such as basement waterproofing, mold remediation, smoke and fire damage repair, water damage removal and crawl space encapsulation for both residential and commercial customers.
The History of Mega Mansions in Texas
Texas has made a name for itself by doing things big, and the houses built here are no different. The Governor’s Mansion set the precedence and since then sprawling residences have been gracing the country side and cities with their grandiose size and architecture.
The Governor’s Mansion
Nine years after Texas became a state in 1845, Abner Cook began the construction of the mansion in Austin, Texas. One year later, in 1856, the building was completed in a Greek revival style. Cook owned a clay pit on the Colorado River which is where the three foot wide bricks came from that make up the exterior walls of the mansion. 29 foot columns adorn the front and a deep veranda recedes from them. Originally, the color was a natural buff from the brick, but it has since been painted white as are many historic mansions.
Governors of Texas have continued to make improvements and additions to the mansion. Texas First Lady Orline updated the interior by redecorating it in the late Victorian style in 1901. Major repairs occurred in 1914 when Governor Oscar Colquitt built an addition to the back of the mansion. From 1979-1982 $4 million was spent in repairs to the historic building.
In 2008 an arsonist attacked the Governor’s Mansion and it sustained major fire and water damage. In fact, the original bricks were accredited to maintaining the structure of the mansion. Since that time, Governor Rick Perry led a $25 million restoration that was just completed this summer. The Governor’s Mansion received some major upgrades in the last four years with an added wing and a geothermal heating and cooling system. Since Cook’s time the Mansion has grown from a 6,000 square foot residence to 8,920 square feet. The number of rooms also increased from 11 to 21.
The McFaddin-Ward House
Ornate residences have popped up all over the state, with one of the most prominent and historic being built in Beaumont in 1906. The McFaddin-Ward House is roughly 12,800 square feet and is built in an eye-grabbing Beaux-Arts Colonial style. Vaulted ceilings, rose pink walls, a number of chandeliers, and extravagant furnishes make the large mansion seem almost cozy and homely.
In true Texas fashion, the McFaddin’s gained their wealth through cattle, oil, and real estate just to name a few industries. Interestingly enough, the house was not built for the McFaddin’s but William McFaddin’s sister Di and her husband Colonel Averill. After a few months the two families switched houses and the house has remained mostly unchanged since 1906. Now the house is a historical museum and visitors can take guided tours of the grounds which offer insights to American trends.
Champ d’Or
Depending on your point of view, the previously mentioned older mansions might seem gigantic or quaint. People used to the modern mega mansions wouldn’t bat an eye to an 8-12,000 square foot home when “homes” like Champ d’Or are being built and put on the market. This is truly a mega mansion, or “McMansion,” at 48,000 square feet. Champ d’Or is French and is translated as “Fields of Gold.” The gargantuan residency is modeled after the French chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte and cost over $45 million to build. As either a sign of the times or a move away from mega mansions, Champ d’Or was sold earlier this year for close to $10 million after it had been on the market for a number of years.
It’s not hard to see where the spark started for large, ornate residences in Texas sprang from. The trend has evolved as wealthy individuals build bigger and (sometimes) better houses, pushing the boundaries of grand and unnecessary. Champ d’Or showcases two elevators, three kitchens, a bowling alley, tennis court, steam room, a 20 car garage, and this isn’t even close to showcasing all of the features.
Some people think the mega mansion trend has peaked as the average housing size for Americans has grown smaller over the last few years. While this could be relevant, these mansions are nothing close to average. Individuals with the money will keep building big if that is what they want to do.
The historic parts of Texas are home to a number of very tasteful and pleasing mansions, and many are now open to tours like The McFaddin-Ward Home. Even if they’re not open to visitors they are certainly worth a drive by to see how the styles have changed throughout the years. Maybe they’ll even give some inspiration for a future mansion of your own.
