Texas Governor's Mansion

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Imagine a home that has stood through the entire modern history of Texas. Built between 1854 and 1856, the Texas Governor's Mansion is the oldest continuously occupied governor's residence west of the Mississippi River. Masterfully designed by architect Abner Cook, this Greek Revival landmark was funded by a legislative appropriation of seventeen thousand five hundred dollars.

Every Texas governor since 1856 has walked its halls and called it home. But its survival wasn't always guaranteed. In the early morning of June 8, 2008, while undergoing renovations, the mansion was targeted by a Molotov cocktail.

A devastating four-alarm fire partially destroyed the historic structure. It took a meticulous, multi-year effort to bring the home back to life, with the complete restoration finally finishing in 2012. Today, as you look at its grand columns, you are seeing a testament to resilience.

It stands not just as a beautiful piece of mid-nineteenth-century architecture, but as a survivor that continues to welcome the state's leaders home.

Updated June 2026