Dobie, John R., House

The John R. Dobie House is an excellent example of vernacular architecture, part of a landscape that "acknowledges and celebrates the role of time" (Jackson). The dwelling is an undisturbed and largely intact small complex and landscape in Wimberley. Constructed in phases, the building is significant at the local level under Criterion C in the area of Architecture for its expression of traditional vernacular design.

offering land less fertile than the south portion of Hays County, the north portion was well-timbered in the 19th century with a variety of species common to central Texas. Large cypress stands were along the banks of the Blanco River and Cypress Creek, in the area to be known as Wimberley. the 1850s the creek, acting as a power source, and the timber attracted several grist and sawmills to the area.

About 1856 William C. Winters established a grist and sawmill on the north bank of Cypress Creek in a valley of northwest Hays County. Between 1856 and 1874 the farming and ranching settlement that grew up around that mill was known as Winters' Mill (for Winters) and later as Cude's Mill (for his son-in-law). In 1874 Pleasant Wimberley, a farmer and miller from North Carolina, purchased the mill. Eventually, both the mill and the related settlement changed names to reflect Wimberley's ownership.

The presence of the grist and sawmill was pivotal to the development and sustenance of the community. By attracting proximate farmers and ranchers to the site for ginning and milling services, the mill created an environment for trade and commerce. During the 1880s and 1890s a modest number of businesses clustered near what evolved as a town square for the small community. "Town" included one or two smithys, a butcher, and a general mercantile. According to local historian Dorothy Kerbow, the businesses were involved principally in merchandising building materials and farm and ranch supplies.

Isolated in a sparsely settled county, Wimberley remained very small and rural throughout the late 19th century. The railroad never penetrated the community; residents instead depended on San Marcos, the county seat, a half-day wagon ride away for links to larger markets. However, Wimberley gradually acquired the necessary amenities to guide the community into the 20th century. Residents erected a school and a multiple-purpose town hall where fraternal organizations, county precincts, and the local school board met. Telephone service connected Wimberley with San Marcos in 1899. A water works system, using water pumped from the creek and an elevated cypress holding tank, was constructed in the 1890s.

The addition of these services hastened the acquisition and development of land near town, and its subsequent sale. In 1891 Charles S. Cock and his wife purchased the acreage just east of Wimberley's central business district. Ad valorem tax records and the sale history of the property suggest that the property was improved, probably with a dwelling, in 1892 under Cock's ownership. An area rancher, investor, and politician, Cock made his home in San Marcos, now known as the Charles S. Cock House (Recorded Texas Historical Landmark 1968, National Register 1973). In 1892 Cock sold the property to another prominent San Marcos resident and rancher, James A. Wren. John R. Dobie, a Scottish emigrant, purchased the house and surrounding 1.34 acres in 1899. Under his ownership, the building probably experienced several modifications, including partial closure of the central hall and the addition of a front porch.

Not surprisingly, few if any architects designed domestic buildings in Wimberley during the 19th and early 20th centuries, rather property owners and local craftsmen followed vernacular traditions. The Dobie House provides an example of Wimberley's vernacular traditions; the town's building history is characterized by vernacular practices dependent on indigenous building materials. of the 19th-century dwellings surviving in or near Wimberley, frame and structural stone construction occur in approximately equal numbers, although neither is abundant. Lumber was probably cut at the Wimberley Mill and custom quarried limestone was locally available. It appears that lumber, under the Wimberley Mill, was the more accessible and workable building material during the 19th century, while limestone was used during the community's settlement period and predominated during the 20th century. Thus, the Dobie House was constructed of wood, actually at the end of the period when cypress was still available.

The tenacity of the popular center passage plan and the slow evolution of vernacular architecture in general are demonstrated in the Dobie House. The dwelling exhibits an important late 19th-century interpretation of the plan, which has rooms flanking a central hall. This building emphasizes horizontal proportions more than other contemporaneous properties in the area. Although other similar properties exist in Wimberley none retain their architectural and historic integrity to such a high degree.

Dobie was a rancher and farmer and raised mules and trotting horses. served as a Hays County Commissioner in 1897-1898. He sold the property to Dr. W.J. Pyland, a merchant and physician in 1903. Pyland is the first owner known to have lived in the house. During Pyland's residency (1903-1906), the dwelling also served as the community's post office. Enclosure of the central hall and the addition of the front porch probably dates to his residency. In 1906 Dobie again purchased the property and lived here until his 1924 death. He had conveyed the property to his son and daughter-in-law, James and Daisy Dobie, who took up residence. After James' 1941 death, Daisy lived in the house until 1977. James and Claire Smullen, the current owners, restored the building.

Future investigation could prove that the property is eligible under Criterion D as well. Surviving outbuildings, including a privy and a storage shed, and the largely undisturbed yard surface could provide information pertinent to lifeways of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Excavation could indicate the potential for archeological investigation.

The Dobie House is an unusually good example of 19th-century vernacular architecture in the central Hill Country. Constructed with local materials, it befits the local climate, traditions, economy, and setting (Jackson). This building feigns no stylistic sophistication, but instead is loyal to practicality and necessity and deserves care and preservation as one of Wimberley's significant historic dwellings.