Downtown Austin in Travis County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
General Land Office Building of 1856-57
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 5, 2013
1. General Land Office Building of 1856-57 Marker
The General Land Office building, constructed in the 1850s, housed the agency responsible for administering the state’s vast landholdings. Designed by German architect and Land Office draftsman Christoph Conrad Stremme, it is the oldest surviving state office building. The architecture blends two 19th-century revival styles: the Rundbogenstil, or round-arched style, is reflected in the windows and doors; the Norman style is reflected in the castle-like parapets. The exterior walls are limestone rubble, smoothed over with stucco, then scored to simulate cut stone blocks. By 1918, the General Land Office had moved across 11th Street to larger quarters. From 1919 to 1989, the building housed museums operated by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Following a 1989-92 architectural restoration, the building became the Capitol Complex Visitors Center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1856.
Location. 30° 16.367′ N, 97° 44.378′ W. Marker is in Austin, Texas, in Travis County. It is in Downtown Austin. Marker can be reached from the intersection of East 11th Street and Brazos Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. General James Earl Rudder (within shouting distance of this marker); Spanish Tejanos (within shouting distance of this marker); Tejanos Under the Mexican Flag (within shouting distance of this marker); Bicentennial Fountain (within shouting distance of this marker); Tejanos in the Republic of Texas (within shouting distance of this marker); Tejanos and Texas in the U.S. (within shouting distance of this marker); Mexican Americans in 20th Century America (within shouting distance of this marker); Grotto and Lagoon (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Austin.
Also see . . . The Texas Capitol Visitors Center.
Link to a excellent video presentation on the history of the General Land Office Building - the oldest state office building in Texas (Submitted on December 27, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 5, 2013
2. General Land Office Building of 1856-57
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 5, 2013
3. General Land Office Building of 1856-57 (perspective view)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 27, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 316 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 27, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
