Baker, Charles H. and Catherine B., House

Built in 1902 for a local entrepreneur, the Baker House features a unique blending of Victorian Gothic and Eastlake architectural features. C. H. Baker, the original owner, founded Baker Drug Store on the courthouse square just one block from the house. He was the local postmaster for a number of years and also had an interest in farming and ranching. The bricks from which the house and outbuildings are constructed were made just south of the house at a kiln located on land which Baker owned at the time of construction. For these reasons, the house has both architectural and historic significance.

Charles H. Baker was a native of Victoria, Canada. He left home at 16, traveling to Mexico by way of Erie, Pennsylvania. Landing in Indianola, he came to Goliad in 1870. Baker married Catherine B. Breuer. He acquired a substantial amount of land over the years, including several tracts adjacent to the nominated property. The nominated property was acquired in 1876. In addition to farming and ranching, Baker, aware of the need for a local drugstore but having no experience in the drug business, opened Baker Drug Store. Located on the courthouse square, the drugstore also served as the post office, with Baker acting as postmaster."

In 1895, Baker designated the nominated property as his homestead. Prior to the construction of the present house, a frame house existed on the same site. The frame house burned and Baker built the brick home in 1902. The Baker House, located just outside the boundary of the Goliad County Courthouse Historic District, displays an ambiance and uniqueness that is a credit to the Goliad community. The brick from which this and other buildings in Goliad were constructed was handmade at a kiln located just a short distance south of the house. The remains of the kiln can still be seen. The land where the kiln is located belonged to C.H. Baker at the time the house was built. A frame carport constructed in the 1950s is attached to the north wall of the milkhouse. Not original to the house or out-buildings, it does not detract from their architectural features. Baker has a love for "fancy things", and the ornamental woodwork on the house and metal cresting on the milkhouse exemplify this. The house, with its decorative carving and stately double porches, is an asset to the commercial and residential areas nearby., The barn and milkhouse serve to complement the property and make the homestead complete.

Baker, a successful entrepreneur, was not only a local druggist but also a local rancher and farmer. Tax records of 1901 reflect C.H. Baker and Sons owning a substantial number of livestock, wagons, and farm implements. Baker died in 1918, but the house remained in the family 40 years after his death. In 1932, Baker's estate was divided among the family. Mrs. Ollie Baker Bryant, Baker's daughter, was deeded the 3.69 acres where the house and out-buildings are located. She remained the owner until her death on December 11, 1956. An inventory and appraisement of the estate at the time of her death evaluated the "two-story stone and frame residence" and land, including minerals, at $14,500. Today, the house, although located near the heart of the community, retains its rural feeling. It is surrounded by pastureland to the south, which slopes toward the San Antonio River. Goliad's historic commercial district is north of the house. A Victorian house built by C. H. Baker's son, Marshall Ney Baker, is located one block east of the nominated property.

In 1958, after the death of Mrs. 011ie Baker Bryant, the house and surrounding property was purchased by W. W. Pettus. The Pettus family retained ownership until 1976 when the property was sold to J. P. Morgan. In June of 1983 John H. Yochem, Jr., and Charlotte. P. Yochem purchased the nominated property. The Yochems are the present owners.

In summary, the Baker House and outbuildings, in their somewhat rural setting, are representative of the turn-of-the-century homestead. The outbuildings serve to make a statement about the property's purpose and use. The house and outbuildings are an asset to the city and county of Goliad, where farming and ranching remain a vital part of the community. Architecturally, the house has beauty and style entirely on it's own. Of the few large masonry houses in Goliad constructed during this period, the Baker House is one of few that has not suffered alterations that greatly affect its appearance. By virtue of this fact, its site, and the remaining outbuildings, the property deserves to be listed in the National Register.