Wylie in Collin County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Thomas and Mattie Brown House
Photographed By Jesse Nelsen, January 12, 2021
1. Thomas and Mattie Brown House Marker
William Thomas Brown (1848-1907), a native of Illinois, married Martha (Mattie) J. Housewright in 1871. They moved to Wylie shortly after its establishment on a newly constructed railroad line from Paris to Dallas built by the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railroad company in 1886. Thomas and his business partner John H. Burns purchased over 31 acres, which included this site, from Nancy and James Vaughn Russel in 1887.
The Browns secured this home site in 1888 and replaced their original residence with this ornate Queen Anne style structure in 1905. The house, with six rooms downstairs and one large room upstairs, exhibits an unusual variety of material, elaborate roofscape and asymmetrical plan typical of the Victorian era. The gables of the four dormers are covered with original fishscale shingles. Prominent features include a wraparound porch with slender paired Doric columns, dentil frieze, Palladian windows and polygonal bays with cutaway corners on their side elevations.
Although Thomas Brown died just two years after the house was built, Mrs. Mattie Brown continued to live here until her death in 1922. The house was then inherited by the Browns' adopted daughter, Tennie Lee (Rattaree) Creel and remained in her family until 1931.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1992
Erected
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1871.
Location. 33° 0.994′ N, 96° 32.34′ W. Marker is in Wylie, Texas, in Collin County. Marker is at the intersection of North Ballard Avenue and Jefferson Street, on the left when traveling north on North Ballard Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Wylie TX 75098, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Brown Cottage (within shouting distance of this marker); First Baptist Church of Wylie (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Gallagher House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Wylie (approx. ¼ mile away); Wylie Cemetery (approx. half a mile away); William and Charlotte Stone House "Stonehaven" (approx. 1.3 miles away); Wylie Methodist Church (approx. 2.1 miles away); Charles C. Stibbens (approx. 2.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wylie.
Photographed By Jesse Nelsen, January 12, 2021
2. Thomas and Mattie Brown House and Marker, to the far right
Credits. This page was last revised on January 16, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 14, 2021, by Jesse Nelsen of Farmersville, Texas. This page has been viewed 575 times since then and 106 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on January 14, 2021, by Jesse Nelsen of Farmersville, Texas. 2. submitted on January 16, 2021, by Jesse Nelsen of Farmersville, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
