Rising from the Ashes

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Tucked away in downtown Austin sits a grand Greek Revival home that has witnessed almost the entire history of Texas statehood. Completed in 1856 and designed by master builder Abner Cook, the Texas Governor's Mansion is the oldest continuously occupied executive residence west of the Mississippi. For over a century and a half, governors and their families have called this place home.

But its survival was nearly cut short on June 8, 2008, when a devastating arson fire, sparked by a Molotov cocktail during a major renovation, badly damaged the historic structure. It took four years of meticulous restoration work, completed in 2012, to bring this landmark back to its full glory. Today, it remains the proud, beating heart of Texas leadership, standing strong through fire and time.

Keep on walking, and let's see what other historic treasures lie just around the corner.

Updated June 2026