Williams-Tarbutton House
a.k.a. Williams,Dr. Wilburn,House;Tarbutton House
626 Lindsey St., San Marcos, TXThe Prairie Style was never as popular in Texas as it was further north. Therefore, a clearly defined example of the style is inherently significant. Will Martindale's house, designed by Atlee B. Ayres with strong horizontal lines, overhanging eaves, and geometric forms, is such an example. Dr. Wilburn Williams, a long-time San Marcos physician, lent the house additional historical importance.
W.W. Martindale, a prosperous local farmer, began construction in 1912. A prominent San Antonio architect had drawn the plans; San Marcos resident Oscar Davis did most of the brick and rock work. The original cost estimate was $12,000, but by the time the house was finished in 1914, it had increased to about $15,000. At the time of completion, the house must have seemed a marvel of modernity. The sleek lines and open spaces still contrast dramatically with the late-Victorian structures that were then the norm. Built-in conveniences such as the cedar closet and vacuum system made life easier.
In 1930, Dr. Wilburn Williams bought the house and the Martindales moved to the former Williams home. Dr. Williams practiced medicine in town for 42 years. He and his wife Myrtle operated a private hospital, the San Marcos Sanitarium, on the corner of Bishop and Belvin from 1912 to 1919.
The Williams' daughter Myrtle inherited the house, and she and her husband now reside there.
Bibliography
Interview with Frances Stovall, July 8, 1982.
Interview with Myrtle Penn Williams Tarbutton and Ed Tarbutton, April 29, 1982.
Interview of Myrtle Tarbutton by Gwen Smith, undated.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
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.