OLD WASHINGTON
SQUARE.
Established: 1844-45. In 1845, Haden Edwards, Charles S. Taylor, and
J. R. Arnold promised to the city of 21 1/2 acres of land to erect a
building for the Nacogdoches University; the transfer of the deeds
did not take place until 1855. The acreage was bounded on the south
by Edwards Street, on the east by Mound Street, on the north by
Hughes, and on the west by Fredonia. As a defined area, however,
Washington Square goes back to the Caddo Indians. Their ceremonial
plaza dates from between 1250 to 1450 A. D. The second building of
Christ Episcopal Church (1902), now at the corner of Mound and Starr
since 1940, originally sat on the corner of Arnold and Fredonia.
THE OLD UNIVERSITY
BUILDING (Center of Washington Square)
Built: 1859. Architect: John H. Cato. The most prominent landmark on
Old Washington Square is the Old University Building. Chartered in
1845 by the Republic, the University did not move into its permanent
home on Washington Square until 1859. The building is one of the
finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the State of Texas.
Of a modified temple design, with white Doric columns (solid brick
covered with plaster), classical pilasters between the windows, and
beautiful mouldings along the roof line and pediment. The red brick,
hand-made in the county, are laid in an English bond pattern (every
seventh row has the butt-end out). The building was used during the
Civil War as a Confederate Hospital. After the war it became the
headquarters for the occupying Union Army. When the University
finally closed its doors in 1900, the Trustees transferred the land
and building to the N. I. S. D. It served the school district as a
chemistry building until the 1960's when its care was turned over to
the Historical Commission and the Federation of Women's Clubs. The
building is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.*
*An Interesting Footnote. When the buildings of Stephen F. Austin
State University were not completed in time for its initial opening
in the fall of 1923, President Birdwell held the first semester of
the new university in the Old University Building and other
outbuildings.
D. RULFS, MASTER ARCHITECT OF
NACOGDOCHES
Many of the remaining historic structures in downtown Nacogdoches
were designed and built by the German-born architect Dietrich Anton
Wilhem Rulfs. (Born in Oldenburg, Germany on March 6, 1848; died 1926
and buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.) When Rulfs brought his family to
Nacogdoches in 1879, he found a late Republican frontier town with no
paved streets and few brick buildings. By 1895, he had transformed
the downtown; by his death, he had transformed the whole city. More
than 50 structures from his distinguished career are extant in the
city, many to be seen on these walking tours. Rulfs began his career
in the Victorian period; his later works tend to be more classical
with some Gothic and bungalow styles also.
THE ROLAND JONES HOUSE
(141 North Church at Hospital)
Built: 1895. Architect: D. Rulfs. A fine example of late Victorian
domestic architecture. The owner was Roland Jones, a cotton merchant.
His wife liked to entertain. Rulfs designed the house accordingly.
The first floor had only large public rooms; the bedrooms were on the
second story. Except for the entrance on the north on Hospital
Street, the house, with its elaborate trim and unusual shape, looks
very much as it did in 1895 when it was built. Of special interest:
the bay windows with curved glass on the north side; the double
galleries and pulpit-divided front steps; the tower with the onion
dome; the use of horseshoe detail in the front; the stained glass
windows on the south side to light the central staircase yet give
privacy; the mansard roof pierced by gables; the gingerbread. Even
the interior, except for the floors, has much of its original
integrity.
THE TOM SUMMERS HOUSE (304
North Church)
Built: 1890. Redesigned: 1914. Architect: D. Rulfs. D. Rulfs built
the first story of this house in 1890 for Sarah Bagley and her
husband. The land was purchased from the Trustees of the Nacogdoches
University. In 1914, Mr. and Mrs. Tom H. Summers purchased the house
and commissioned Mr. Rulfs to redesign and enlarge it. The second
story dormer-rooms, the squared columns, the wrap-around gallery, the
back porch with a built-in bathroom was added at this time.
THE LEE HARDEMAN HOUSE
(316 North Church)
Built: 1892. Redesigned: 1912 Architect: D. Rulfs. The Hardeman
family, one of the early pioneering families of Texas, can boast a
Signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, a Secretary of the
Treasury under President Burnet, a member of the Second Congress of
the Republic, and the honor of having counties in both Tennessee and
Texas named after it. Lee Hardeman, originally of Melrose, moved to
Nacogdoches in 1892 and built the first story of this house shortly
thereafter. In 1912, after his family had grown, Hardeman
commissioned D. Rulfs to enlarge the house. Rulfs added the second
story, the wrap-around gallery, new siding, and reworked the interior
by making the rooms more flexible with the addition of double sliding
doors. Miss Gladys Hardeman, a noted local historian, continued to
live in the house where she was born until her death in 1978. One of
the three large mortuary mounds from the Caddo period was located on
the back of this property and was removed in the early 1930's.
THE SARAH RICHARDSON
HOUSE (315 North Church)
Built: 1897. Redesigned: 1920 Architect: D. Rulfs. Originally a
complete double house with double galleries, round posts and lots of
Victorian tracery. The second story was severly damaged by fire in
1915. In his redesign, Rulfs removed all the gingerbread, squared the
columns, and reduced the second floor to a dormer storage room. The
interior was made more "modern" by taking the front hall into the
living room, turning the middle hall into a dining room, and
transforming the old dining room into a master bedroom. The Haralson
family bought the house in 1944. Only slight modifications have been
made since 1915.
THE CHARLES PERKINS HOUSE
(516 North Mound)
Built: 1900. Architect: D. Rulfs. This 2 1/2 story house has
undergone few changes since it was built. The balastrade above the
front entrance is an exception to this statement, however. The house
is a fine example of Rulfs' architecture: wrap-around porch with
wooden tuscan columns, arched Palladian windows and a dormer with
diamond-patterned lights, a 2-story chamfered bay, elaborate
brickwork on the chimney. The Charles Perkins House is now the
residence of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Carroll.
THE TOLBERT HARDEMAN
HOUSE (408 North Mound)
Built: 1899. Architect: D. Rulfs. Tol Hardeman was a brother and
partner of Lee Hardeman in the wholesale grocery business. This
two-story house has certain features that were popular in North
Germany were Rulfs was born and trained. For instance, the square bay
window on the northwest front with the balcony on top, covered by a
shed roof. The use of the paired columns on an elevated base were
elements Rulfs planned for the June Harris House on Virginia Avenue
but did not use. The dental mouldings, double galleries, high pitched
hipped roof pierced by a decorative gable were elements he used
elsewhere. The house for a long time belonged to the Moon family
before becoming Julia Taylor Antiques in the 1960's. Dr. and Mrs.
William J. Brophy purchased the house in 1975.
THE JUDGE STEPHEN W.
BLOUNT HOUSE (310 North Mound)
Built: 1895. Architect: D. Rulfs. Judge Stephen W. Blount, originally
from San Augustine, had Rulfs design and build this two story Queen
Ann/Eastlake style house in 1895. The impressive "gingerbread" was
done by Dietrich's brother William Henry who had just immigrated to
the United States from Germany. The left front bay with bowed front,
the eyelet window in the gabled dormer in the roof, the decorative
bargeboards, the asymmetrical double gallery with the unusual
projecting bay at the corner, the use of the Palladian windows,
etc.--all make this house one of the architect's best works. The
house became a funeral home in the 1930's and the chapel was added in
the 1950's. The house is now owned by William J. and Shelia G.
Roberts who are in the process of restorating the structure.