National Register Listing

Kennard House

621 St. Louis St., Gonzales, TX
The Kennard House in Gonzales, Texas, is a fine late Victorian residence, a late manifestation of the Queen Anne style, and one of the few of its type now remaining in the state. The residence has been carefully restored and is unusual in that its gables are covered with a mosaic of bright glass and pottery chips. There is a two-story central portico with shingled Romanesque arches at the first level and an open colonnaded gallery at the second. The pediment has a slightly Palladian window and mosaic siding. A tall and bold tower with shingled Romanesque arcaded belvedere stands ton one side of the porch with a wrap-around porch on the other side. The whole exterior is painted green. The windows are of French beveled glass and Tiffany leaded glass and the floors are inlaid wood.

The house was built by Mr. and Mrs. James Blake Kennard in 1895 and became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1967. James Kennard was from a pioneer family in Navasota, Texas. In the early 1890s, he married Anna Braches, a member of one of the first families to settle in Gonzales County, and granddaughter of Charles Braches, a member of the State Legislature. A member of the family remembers that Kennard was a lumberman. He had friends throughout the country, and when they heard he was building a home, "they began sending him select pieces of wood from all over the United States, to be used in his new home..." The house was purchased and restored by Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Bausch recently.

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967.
Local significance of the building:
Architecture

Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

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.

architecture houses residential buildings
In the late 19th century, Texas became known for its cattle drives, in which cowboys would move herds of cattle from Texas to railheads in Kansas and other northern states. The cattle drives were dangerous and difficult work, but they played a key role in the development of the American cattle industry.
Texas random facts
Gonzales County, Texas, has a rich history dating back to its settlement in the early 1820s. The area was part of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas until the Texas Revolution in 1836, when the Battle of Gonzales became a pivotal moment in the fight for independence. The battle, often referred to as the "Lexington of Texas," was fought due to a demand by Mexican authorities for the return of a cannon given to the settlers to protect against Native American raids. This refusal to comply with the orders of the Mexican government marked the beginning of the Texas Revolution.

Following the Texas Revolution and the establishment of the Republic of Texas, Gonzales County played a vital role in the formation of the new state. The town of Gonzales became the capital of DeWitt County and remained a prominent center for trade and agriculture. The 1850s brought an influx of German immigrants to the area, who brought with them their agricultural expertise and helped to further develop the county's economy.

During the Civil War, Gonzales County primarily sided with the Confederacy, and many residents served in the Confederate Army. After the war, the county faced a period of reconstruction and struggled with political and economic challenges. However, through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the discovery of oil and the expansion of the cattle industry brought renewed growth and prosperity to Gonzales County.

Today, Gonzales County remains a vibrant community with a mix of agriculture, oil and gas production, and diverse industries. The county is also known for its rich cultural heritage, including historical sites and the annual reenactment of the Battle of Gonzales. The county's history is celebrated and preserved through museums, historical markers, and the pride of its residents in their shared past.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Gonzales County, Texas.

  • 1834 - Gonzales County established as a municipality of Mexico
  • 1835 - "Come and Take It" cannon skirmish occurs in Gonzales, marking the start of the Texas Revolution
  • 1836 - Texas gains independence from Mexico; Gonzales County becomes part of the Republic of Texas
  • 1846 - Texas becomes a state, and Gonzales County remains a political subdivision
  • 1861-1865 - Gonzales County residents participate in the American Civil War
  • 1878 - The Gonzales Inquirer, the oldest continuously published weekly newspaper in Texas, is established
  • 1887 - Gonzales County Courthouse is built
  • 1891 - The Harwood and Gonzales Railway connects Gonzales to the Texas railway network
  • 1905 - Oil is discovered in Gonzales County, leading to an economic boom
  • 1936 - The Gonzales Warm Springs Rehabilitation Center, now the J.B. Wells Park, opens as a medical facility for polio patients
  • 1949 - The Gonzales Memorial Museum is established to preserve local history
  • 1967 - The Gonzales State School opens to serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
  • 1988 - The Confederate Soldiers Monument is erected in the Gonzales Memorial Museum