Hall, Robert, House
214 S. Travis St, Seguin, TXThe Robert Hall House is one of Seguin's most important historical landmarks. The original log portion of the house was built by one of the town's founders, Captain Robert Hall, an early Texas pioneer, and patriot, and remains the oldest house built after the city was established. The town was founded by several shareholders, all members of Mathew Caldwell's company of Gonzales Rangers. The townsite, then known as Walnut Springs, was surveyed in 1838 by Ben McCulloch and the name changed to Seguin in 1839 to honor Juan N. Seguin, who fought with the Texas Army at the battle of San Jacinto. As one of the founders and original shareholders, Robert Hall built the first house, a 16x18' log cabin, as specified in the shareholders' agreement.
Born in South Carolina in 1814, Robert Hall later moved to Tennessee with his family. Hall apparently came to Texas in 1836 to enlist with the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution. He later joined the Texas Ranger company serving with Ben McCulloch. In 1838 Hall and three other Rangers secured the land and laid out the town of Seguin. Hall served for three years with the Confederacy and later as part of the 32nd cavalry.
The concrete used for the lower portion of the house has architectural significance as an excellent example of the early concrete building in Texas. The formula, developed by Dr. Richard Park, a chemist living in Seguin between 1840-1860, was developed from the readily available natural materials---gravel and lime--- deposited in abundance along the Guadalupe River. Of as many as ninety concrete residences, and commercial and public buildings built during this period in Seguin, only about 25 remain today.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.