Corpus Christi in Nueces County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Simon Gugenheim House
This structure was built at 1101 North Chaparral for Simon and Lila Belle (Soloman) Gugenheim. Simon Gugenheim (1861-1942) was a native Texan who came to Corpus Christi in 1882 with forty dollars in his pocket and remained to become wealthy. He and a friend formed the Gugenheim and Cohn Drygoods Co. In 1891, the year of his marriage, he acquired a great deal of property when he helped rescue the city's economy during a recession in 1896, and later was a successful investor in the petroleum industry. The Gugenheims had this house built about 1900. They moved into a modest apartment and sold their home in 1924. Among their philanthropies was a gift of four lots on South Broadway as the site for a YMCA building, where Gugenheim's portrait was hung. Their Victorian house of the early 1900s was moved to its present site during a period of city growth.
The turret on this house survived all others in the domestic architecture of the city. The builder adorned the house with bay windows; a lunette in the front pediment; and gables faced with shingles; ornamenting the porches with columns, brackets, and banisters, and with cornices displaying wooden beads, spindles, lattices, and other Victorian gingerbread.
Erected 1976 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 6319.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Charity & Public Work • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1900.
Location. 27° 48.399′ N, 97° 23.722′ W. Marker is in Corpus Christi, Texas, in Nueces County. Marker is on North Chaparral Street just north of Resaca Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1581 N Chaparral St, Corpus Christi TX 78401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Sidbury House (a few steps from this marker); Kovner-Bobys Homestead (within shouting distance of this marker); Julius Lichtenstein House (within shouting distance of this marker); Merriman House (within shouting distance of this marker); French-Galvan House (within shouting distance of this marker); Grande-Grossman House (within shouting distance of this marker); Jalufka-Galatos House (within shouting distance of this marker); McCampbell House (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Corpus Christi.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 9, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 1, 2022, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. This page has been viewed 79 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 1, 2022, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.