Smithville Residential Historic District

The Smithville Residential Historic District encompasses the original Smithville townsite and three residential subdivisions platted in the community from 1887 to 1945. These subdivisions set the planning and design standards for residential construction from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century. Single-family residences, outbuildings, and institutional buildings make up the majority of properties that represent Smithville's most cohesive and intact residential area. The district is nominated under Criterion A in the area of Community Planning and Development at the local level. It is also nominated under Criterion C in the area of Architecture at the local level with 199 Contributing and 158 Noncontributing properties in the district.

The City of Smithville, Bastrop County, falls within two large Mexican land grants: the Louis Loomis (Loomis) league granted on June 4, 1827, and the Thomas Gazley league, granted in 1829. The Gazley grant is the westernmost part of town; the Loomis the larger eastern section (Recorded in County Clerk's office, Courthouse, Bastrop, Texas). Although Loomis received the earliest grant, there is no evidence that he settled the tract. Gazley, however, established a homestead along Gazley Creek where it flows into the Colorado River. He became active in Texas politics serving as a representative in the Congress of the Republic of Texas. Gazley's descendants stayed in the area and later owned businesses in Smithville.

In 1844, General Edward Murray Burleson described early Smithville when he wrote the following to Mirabeau Lamar, President of the Republic of Texas: "In 1831, a new settlement commenced, below Bastrop, founded by General Burleson..." This settlement, located between the high southern bank of the Colorado River and the Smithville Hospital (9th and Short Streets, northeastern corner of the district), is known today as "Old Smithville."

From 1831 to 1870, General Burleson's community attracted only a handful of residents. Based on his reports, the small population focused mostly on agricultural pursuits along the river bottoms of Colorado. This rich river valley offered good land for cotton, corn, grasses, and sugar cane. An 1880 description of the county described the farms along the river as 100 to 200 acres. These farmlands reportedly yielded a bale of cotton to the acre while post oak land (south and west of present-day Smithville) produced one-third to one-half a bale per acre. Most Bastrop County cotton producers sold to local merchants through a number of nearby cotton gins. In the same 1880 reports, landowners did the little raising of livestock and production of other agricultural crops though most accounts felt that these endeavors could be profitable.

In 1880 few transportation routes crossed Bastrop County other than the Camino Real, from San Antonio east to Louisiana. When the railroad companies began to establish tracks across the state, the Houston & Texas Central Railway crossed northern Bastrop County through Elgin, McDade, and Paige, leaving the central and southern counties inaccessible by rail. The absence of rail service in most of Bastrop County, attracted Jay Gould, famed railroad owner, as he began to look for areas to expand his empire. He controlled a number of national railroads including the Missouri Kansas & Texas (MKT) and the International & Great Northern (IGN). These railroads developed north-south routes through Texas in an effort to facilitate trade with Mexico, but Gould also sought an east-west route that might provide access to Houston and the port of Galveston. The need to cross the north-south and east-west railroads brought attention to the river plain along the Colorado River in the area of Smithville.

Murray Burleson, now aware that a railroad was being planned near Smithville, began buying land from the Loomis and Gazley tracts within the rich Colorado River plain of Southeast Texas. Burleson, along with J.A. Hooper of Travis County, and Joseph D. Sayers, a Congressman and later Governor of Texas, formed the Smithville Town Company to develop a location for the north-south, east-west railroad crossing. The Company subsequently platted the Smithville Townsite and began serving as land agents for commercial and residential lots. On July 4, 1886, the first train of the Bastrop and Taylor Railway (later the Taylor, Bastrop, & Houston Railway subsidiary of the MKT) crossed Gazley Creek in the area of Smithville. The gentle grades and mild curvature along the Colorado River were equal distances from Waco, San Antonio, and Houston, thus providing an ideal location for housing crews, building shops, and controlling traffic along the line.

Burleson and his partners saw an additional opportunity, and on January 15, 1887, deeded 100 acres (20 acres for the right of way) to the Taylor, Bastrop, and Houston Railway (TB&H RR). The deed stated that the transfer occurred only if the company built a depot on or before July 1, 1888, and reserved three acres for Burleson's own house and outbuildings. (Bastrop County deed records) These three acres later became the subdivision of Riverside Addition along the Colorado River.

The agreement between the railroad and the Smithville developers established a relationship that continued unabated through most of the 20th century. Smithville began to change almost immediately as the railroad's division headquarters developed. The division superintendent and staff, dispatchers, trainmasters, express agents, and line maintenance personnel moved to Smithville. The roundhouse, back shop workers, engine and train crews, and switchmen were also relocated. As a district headquarters, Smithville housed district emergency equipment and personnel.

When the Taylor, Bastrop & Houston Railroad came through the southern end of Smithville Townsite in 1887, it extended east only to Boggy Tank, south of Fayetteville. In 1893 the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad bought this line and completed connections to Houston. At this time, Smithville became the terminus giving further impetus to its commercial and residential development. In addition, the MKT extended a line through Lockhart to San Marcos. These routes gave Smithville mail service from three different directions and established the town as the center of an extensive transportation network. In 1895, two years after the completion of the railroad links, the town was incorporated.

The construction "boom" that began with the railroad's arrival in 1887 continued through 1940. The city's population jumped from 60 in 1880 to 616 in 1890. (US Census Data) A 400% increase in population occurred between 1890 and the population of 2,577 in 1900. By 1910 the population reached 3,167, rose to 3,296 in 1930, and stabilized through the 1940s. The increase in population required significant construction in residential areas, most in the areas immediately north, east, and west of the central business district and railroad depot. Although some residential development occurred south of the railroad tracks and to the west, these areas never developed as completely.

The first residential development began at the northern end of the Smithville Townsite with the first deed and mechanic's lien issued on July 23, 1887. These early lots were south of North Sixth Street and west of the current Burleson Street. The size of the lots is considerably larger than those in the commercial area of Main Street and reflects the developer's early plans to make the residential area within a short walking distance of the downtown and railroad. Developers issued the last deed in 1913. Houses within this subdivision include 407 Ramona (ca. 1909) and 505 Main (ca. 1900).

Murray Burleson's first solely residential subdivision began just east of the Smithville Townsite and continued north to North Ninth Street. The Smithville Land and Investment Company marketed the lots with the first being sold on November 30, 1901, and the last on May 28, 1920. The three principal streets of the addition continue from the Smithville Townsite subdivision and are named for early Smithville businessmen: Hudgins, Gresham, and Burleson. The remaining streets may be named for Burleson's daughters (Ramona, Olive) and popular street names at the turn of the century (Short). The principal thoroughfare continued to be Main Street beginning at the depot and going north to the Colorado River. Residential lots of approximately 50 by 120 feet, generally with eight divisions, defined the simple grid pattern.

Burleson established his third subdivision at the northern end of Burleson's Addition along North Eighth and Ninth Streets. Riverside Park Addition, originally designated as his formal estate, consisted of 25 long narrow lots set in a diagonal pattern that ended at the Colorado River. Eighth Street and Colorado Street form the southeastern diagonal boundary. All properties date from the turn of the century and represent several popular architectural styles of the period. Two houses in this edition are the largest and most architecturally significant properties in the district. The most substantial is the Burleson House (207 East Eighth) built ca. 1899. This 2 1/2-story Queen Anne style dwelling covers several lots and faces south toward the town's center. A period carriage house (Contributing) and garage (ca. 1950, Noncontributing) are northeast of the principal dwelling. The Chapman-Trousdale House is another significant property dating from ca. 1915. This Classical Revival house faces the center of North Olive Street on several lots and is most noteworthy for its off-center principal entryway. Dr. Philip Chapman came to Smithville in 1903 and later chose to purchase lots from Burleson at the western end of Riverside Park Addition. Chapman had no direct heirs and left the property to his nephew Trousdale.

George Washington (G.W.) Jones platted a fourth subdivision (exact date unknown). Jones had his own residence built at Sixth and Main (601 Main), then sold the remaining lots over a number of years. Roughly two dozen lots of similar size and shape to Burleson's comprise this addition at the northwestern edge of the river. Several of these lots remained undeveloped until after 1945.

Smithville's consistent development attracted a number of builders who are credited with many of the residences in the district. V.S. Rabb (Sr. and Jr.) are two of the earliest builders with most of their work dating from ca. 1894 to ca. 1911. Calcasieu Lumber Company was also built in Smithville from 1894 until sold to V.S. Rabb. Charles M. Turney (sometimes shown as Turney and Sons) and M.M. Turney Lumber Company built a number of buildings from ca. 1890 to ca. 1915. M.M. Turney is known to have operated a brickyard southwest of the downtown (outside district boundaries) and produced much of the low-grade brick used in Smithville's buildings. Sam W. Ingram, Temple Lumber Company, and Roger Byrne are other builders from the turn of the century but little is known of their activities. Olin C. Fite built a number of properties in the district from ca. 1915 to ca. 1930, including his own residence and the Baptist Church.

Although the residential component of the district developed steadily after 1888, the infrastructure of streets and landscaping followed more slowly. In 1915 most streets in Smithville were gravel. Ten years later paving covered only four blocks of the central business district. In 1929 the Smithville Women's Club requested that the city council approve concrete pavement for all of Main Street. The city council approved pavement but with asphalt. Main Street served as the main transportation artery into Smithville after 1900 when a bridge first extended across Colorado linking the community with Austin. Travelers to Houston from Austin crossed the bridge, went through the central business district on Main Street, then turned left (east) at the railroad track. In 1931 the route changed to turn east at North Third Street (State Highway 230). By 1950 a new bridge west of Main Street one connected Third Street farther west and eliminated the Main Street access. Main Street and other streets in the district were not paved until after World War II.

Landscaping features in the district include a few examples of ornamental fencing and extensive mature trees and shrubbery. Oral history interviews of long-time residents indicate that other iron fences existed but contributed to the war effort during World War II. Likewise, local officials reportedly encouraged residents to plant pecan trees to help pay for property taxes with the income from pecan crops.

During the 1930s Smithville benefitted from several New Deal programs. The firehouse at 105 Fourth Street, now Smithville Police Station, is believed to be the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC began working at nearby Buescher State Park in the mid-1930s and is credited with coming to Smithville and building the firehouse and another municipal pump house (outside district boundaries). The use of local red sandstone makes the property distinctive within the context of mostly wood frame and brick buildings in the district. In 1937 the new Smithville Post Office opened being a product of the Works Progress Administration. Louis A. Simon (supervising architect) and Neal A. Melick (supervising engineer) are credited with the design of the building that serves as a transition between the commercial and residential areas. The post office contains a 1939 (installed December 7, 1939) mural painted by San Antonio resident and La Grange native, Minette Teichmueller. Teichmueller's work, "The Law- Texas Rangers," depicts a Texas Ranger capturing two bandits under a grove of oak trees. The 12' by 5' oil on canvas stretches across the south end of the building. Teichmueller submitted sketches for the mural after entering a competition in El Paso in 1938. Although originally offered to Ernest Blumenschien, Teichmueller agreed to do the work while serving as an instructor at the San Antonio Art Academy. This is the only mural done by Teichmueller.

The Smithville Residential Historic District includes the best examples of late 19th and early 20th century houses in Smithville. The majority of the properties date from 1887 to ca. 1940 with a few modern, Noncontributing infill properties included. Despite intrusions and unsympathetic alterations to some buildings, the district is largely intact and retains a high degree of integrity.