Austin Attractions - Governor’s Mansion
May 24th, 2008 by
travel
Austin is an interesting place to visit. It is the capitol of Texas and as such it is one of the most important cities in the state. As symbol of that importance is the Governors mansion. Located at 1010 Colorado right next door to the capitol it is a sight to behold.
The Governor’s Mansion has housed every governor of the state of Texas since 1856. It was designed in 1854 by architect Abner Cook and was built in the Greek Revival style of architecture. It was completed on June 14, 1856 and its first resident was Governor Elisha Marshall Pease. Since this time the mansion has undergone many restorations and upgrades but has remained true to the original design of Abner Cook. The last restoration in 1991 was made possible by a $1 million dollar appropriation from the state legislature and an additional $3 million in private donations.
Visitors to the Mansion today will see a short 20 minute tour featuring an extensive collection of portraits and antique furniture which give a glimpse into the mansion’s and the state’s past history. Some of these items include Stephen F Austin’s writing desk, a couch from the estate of Governor Pease and various other historic artifacts. It is a tour that is very much worth taking.
If you would like to visit the mansion you can get more information at 512-463-5516. Tours are usually given between 10AM and Noon from Monday to Thursday. It is a limited time frame but you must keep in mind that this is after all still someone’s home. So if you find yourself in Austin pay the Governor’s mansion a visit.
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Tags: austin, texas, tourism, tourist, travel, vacation destinations