What Happened to John Houghton's Mansion in Austin?
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- čas přidán 23. 04. 2022
- Imagine growing up rich, losing everything, and starting from scratch. That's exactly what happened to John Houghton. Hear his story while we explore his mansion and find out how it was lost.
Location: Austin. Texas
What Happened to John Houghton's Mansion in Austin?
• What Happened to John ...
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Cattle Video by Mikhail Nilov
Public Domain Photos from austinlibrary.com, loc.gov
Gravesite Photos from Robert Sage on findagrave.com
Music From Epidemic Sound
I remember the house in its decline. This wasn't the only architectural gem in Austin that got plundered then leveled. And Austin's not the only city that's been stripped of significant treasures. So sad!
your correct
Nashville in the last 20 years has demolished a huge majority of its historical structures because of the GREED of its Government Officials and Developers.
Love San Antonio’s preservation. I live amongst German mill owners’ mansions built in the mid-late 1800s.
I cant help feel disappointed in Mr John Stokes going back on his word and to demolish the old home for a tacky carpark.
I am sorry Mr. Stokes was ever born.
Absolutely agree and have agree the parking garage is an eyesore
@@maggiea6766 mr stokes was vandal. What’s wrong with little old ladies trying to preserve something beautiful for future generations to enjoy, if only from the exterior.
It's BEYOND tacky. It's UGLY. If it still stands, No one will mourn its loss when it meets its doom.
@@maggiea6766 "eysore" is the right word. That thing is hideous and rather dystopian. I wish I could "unsee" it.
Some people have no end to their self centered greed and lack of concern for others.
I remember reading about this house in a collection of books titled "Lost America" from the National Geographic Society(i think). These books were published during the "urban renewal " phase that was happening in most major cities. Parking lots/garages claimed a vast number of historic buildings during this time. Heart breaking.
"They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot..." I had a feeling this story would end that way. Stokes sounds like Jekyll & Hyde. Such a shame. While I love to see these beautiful old places kept as private homes, Bed & Breakfasts, or wedding venues, using them as offices, antique stores, etc. is an acceptable compromise, given the alternative. Just fyi, I believe the name Houghton is usually pronounced "Haw-ton", but it's possible I'm wrong in this case. Texas has a some interesting homes I've seen featured before on the old HGTV "If Walls Could Talk" show, and elsewhere online. There is one called The Bishop's Palace, and the "Cottonland Castle" was purchased by Chip and Joanna Gaines. Fortunately, those are still standing.
Beautiful house, yes.
Yet, we all understand, its not the "Paradise"
she was singing about.
I've toured the Bishop's Palace several times in Galveston. It's also called the Grisham House, after the family who built it. It's much grander than the Houghton House was, but sadly, it too has been neglected and is in need of a lot of work.
Yes, Preserved and Beautiful and Public Tourist Attractions.. So is the Moody Mansion..
HGTV should bring back "If Walls Could Talk!" I remember that show and of course "At the Auction!"
I've hears the "Houghton" name pronounced several ways, but the way you indicated is prevalent. Thanks for pointing that out.
Just because "you can" does not mean "you should", Mr. Stokes. 😢
You have no idea just how much fanatical enthusiasm there was for multi-storey car parks in the 1970s. Every town wanted one, and a mall with automatic sliding glass doors.
That's true, I remember that. They would "relieve traffic congestion and parking problems and modernize downtowns". People thought they were being so modern. But the car parks brought their own problems. Poorly built - one in my state partially collared. Plus crime - a good place to get mugged.
@@SMtWalkerS It all seemed so exciting at the time. To somebody.
Thank you for the tour of this house. It made me want to cringe knowing that John stokes wanted this beautiful house demolished just to put up an ugly commercial building in its place. We need to preserve our historical sites otherwise we'll have nothing left to look back on.
Well-stated. I could not possibly have said it better.
@@twistoffate4791 Thank you 😊
We're already losing that general battle.
Always drove by that house heading out of downtown to North Austin. Remember going in it when it was an antique gallery. About 1972-ish.
That is so sad this country has lost way to many of our historical homes over creed
Reminds me if what happened here in Woodward Oklahoma
A large mansion owned by Temple Houston, until his death in 1905, was demolished back in the 1970s to build a grocery store.
From what I’ve seen of pictures, it looks like it was a beautiful house.
That is a shame. I don't know much about the cost of refurbishing an old home, but I'm starting to figure out the developers are not just worrying about what it takes to restore the building, but the future money they will lose out on if they don't turn it into a commercial enterprise.
My family got lucky in Tulsa. My grandmother sold her home on 51st, close to Yale. It was grand. It was built by the Bouhle family in 1923. An accounting firm bought it to use as office space. It's been modified for that purpose, but it still stands. The front yard is a parking lot, but the very large backyard and huge elm trees are still there. Everything else around it has been razed to make room for multifamily housing, restaurants, gasoline stations, and convenience stores. I feel so fortunate it wasn't torn down.
@@imhere653 that’s awesome that it is still there. I always hate hearing about an old historic structure being lost.
Another example is here. From 1868-1894, there was an active military fort here called Fort Supply. Mostly a Calvary supply fort and frontier outpost for Indian Territory. The fort was closed in 1894 due to the area being opened up to settlement. The site sat unused until 1908, when the fort was converted into the first state run mental hospital in Oklahoma. Sadly, with progress, they tore down many of the original fort buildings to build newer brick buildings for the hospital. When the fort closed in 1894, there were 92 buildings standing, only one of which was brick. Today, only 5 of those original buildings remain, including the brick Guard House that was built in 1892. Now we are still working on restoring the remaining buildings back to their original state (they had been so modernized over the years, that we’ve had to basically go in and gut them to take them back to their original look, and preserving them as part of the Fort Supply Historic Site.
After being used as apartments and offices for so long I wonder how much of the original details were left inside and what condition it was in. It may very well have been beyond repair.
This story reminds me of when a nearby neighborhood was fighting to save an old Civil War era property. Land developers got permission by the state to tear the structure down overnight so no one could show up to stop them.
Because people believe the Civil War was fought Solely because of Slaves, which was horrible, I admit, everyone gets all upset and don’t want to hear Any discussion about anything during that era. But there was some beautiful homes and other buildings built during that time. Some were built at least in pat by Freed Black Men, some white men (remember not all whites were rich, and yes, some by slaves. But I would think that no matter their station in life they should be proud to have participated in creating something of such Beaty. Maybe I’m being Naive and I mean no disrespect at all, after all some of my ancestors were Native Americans and they were treated as the worst things on earth. I hope that someday we will All be able to settle our differences and see each other as humans…no colors, and no “something American”, just Proud Americans, or Humans. God Bless us All.
@@bettynewton6160 no disrespect at all. My ancestry also has Native American heritage (Cherokee). Thank you for your comment. Have a wonderful day.
What a terrible shame...we always need a need a parking or a parking lot...what wonderful way to preserve and reuse a wonderful piece of history
In Houston, in the Galleria area, there was an old original soda fountain/restaurant that I would frequent and felt “My God this is incredible that they left this piece of history”! Progress destroyed it with buildings!
Extremely sad as so many leveling of these historic home stores are. Portland, OR had many destroyed in the name of progress and growth.
This videos make me cry! Can’t stand watching them but can’t stop watching!
I love your shows. You are willing to put the glorious and sad together and give it straight.
Remember the old adage, that "money can't buy you class".
Remember also that city planners are some of the most 'short-sighted' people on the planet.
Someone in the comments section (1931 Spanish Eclectic) very aptly referenced Joni Mitchell's lyrics to Big Yellow Taxi.
I remember a few years ago (2019) being **somewhere** in central Texas, passing through some downtown, and seeing a massive vacant house quite similar to this. I was moving at the time, and was towing a big trailer. The house was on a corner where traffic was controlled by either stop signs or a traffic light (I forget which). Since I was unfamiliar with whatever town I was passing through, it wouldn’t have been practical for me to stop and try to find a place to park so that I could take pictures. I definitely would’ve done so had I have been driving my car instead.
Thank you for this video.
I found your channel by chance and its great - very interesting, from a Brit who loves old properties!
I live in Austin and this makes me SICK. What a fool!!!!!
Better protection for these old gems has been needed for a long time obviously.
Wow. That cement parking lot bares a notable resemblance to New York's cement Guggenheim "Art" Museum structure, built on the site of several Fifth Avenue masterpiece mansions...
How sad. Thanks for a Sunday episode.
Awesome historical information.
Thanks for sharing this. Shame to hear what happened to it.
So sad!
This story really stokes my ire.
Very interesting, perhaps do one on the mansions of the golden square mile in historical Montreal. Many of these amazing victorian mansions are still there.
Can't believe Mr. Stokes went back on his word! That mansion had so much potential!
It seems he was ticked off over losing money. When I heard his reported insults ("the only people who want to save it are a bunch of old women") it did not surprise me that he went back on his word and demolished it. The land was worth more with a parking lot on it. 😕
I grew up in Austin, Texas and attended Austin High School at 12th and Rio Grande just down the street from this house. There are several Victorian Style Houses in that Neighborhood. I remember it well, including poking around inside and getting caught doing so just before it was destroyed. Because it was just me and my Girlfriend and we weren't hurting anything, they gave us a lecture and sent us on our way. I miss old Austin...
Yes Austin has changed in many ways …….none for the better.
How sad for the beautiful home to be torn down like a piece of trash. Unbelievable!
Crazy that Mr. Stokes would allow that to happen, for a parking garage. Such a pity.
Allow? He did it on purpose.
Thank god!! I’m early today💕
This is so sad to see.
Another lost mansion horror story. What are twelve developers at the bottom of a lake? Answer: A good start.
Hahaha! I agree! Developers in my town built a neighborhood and made lots of $$, but did not put in the side walks, drainage, easements, as required and agreed Then they leave, dissolve, reform under another name and can't be found to be sued or forced to remedy the problems they left. Quite a racket.
love this
Sad story 😭
This is such a cool and interesting channel
The saddest thing is knowing that houses this beautiful will never be the built again. So much ugliness these days.
I hope the Irony of time is this will happen to that parking lot as well.
Here in my town they love knocking down history for parking lots
I'm in Columbia, Missouri, and much of the same has occurred here. Makes me angry and sad.
Yes some thing in mascoutah ill tore down half of the old buildings on main street nothing hardly left now
I wonder what happened Mr Stokes when it all was said and done, thank you.
Look into the hexagon house in Mineral Wells, Texas.
I think you've missed the scheming ploy. He got many off his back by making that offer for free ...it was a undermining many . A political practice.
A sad but sadly common story.
What’s really sad is that this trend to destroy Austin’s historic downtown buildings has only accelerated in the past 20 years. More and more original structures in the downtown area have been destroyed so that high-rise buildings can replace them.
Liberals.
The leftists have taken over the place.
One must be curious of "the Ego of an individual whom purchases and destroys a landmark". I'm guessing Narcissist Personality Disorder is in the mix.
Note: Yes, it does cause one the desire to, but is not intended as judging, rather diagnosing and understanding.
Sad.
Totally disappointing that it was destroyed for an ugly parking garage. We lose so much history and beauty for self gratification and personal gain.
OMG what a shame
I saw this house before it was demolished.
Many a “Grande Dame” has met with the same demise as this beautiful “Victorian”, sadly.
A beautiful house, but a bit of an odd first-floor layout. 3:50 To get from the kitchen to the dining room, one needs to go from the kitchen to the rear stair hall, then to the ballroom, then into the hall, then into the dining room, or, alternatively, from the kitchen to the back porch, into the ballroom, then to the hallway, then into the dining room. Quite the circuitous route. OR, take a shortcut: into the rear stair hall, then cut thru the *bathroom*(!!), and into the dining room!
Oh my!
I had to go back and look at the floor plan. That is weird. I wonder if that was the original design. Normally, there would be a door (or pass thru) from the butler's pantry into the dining room, so the food could be plated for serving. I almost wonder if the bathroom and pantry labels are reversed in error. I love these old house puzzles. Definitely disappointed it's not still there so we could find the answer.
Now that hideous garage is actually a sin! What would possess someone to hate the beautiful home and seek to replace it with that roach motel garage?
What a shame.
So sad. What a jerk.
You videos are interesting. Please SLOW DOWN your presentation so we can absorb your great content!
That's America for you. We save NOTHING!
I can't watch these anymore too depressing. I live in a 130 year old house.
Ours is 109, a modest craftsman described as a "hand-built French style country house." The homes across the street were bought out around the turn of the Millenium to build a shopping center.
I'm yet again vindicated when I say the US has absolutely no capacity to preserve historical edifices. We have such a sickeningly vain construction industry that any building over 30 years old is seen as useless and unusable. Literally sickens me to see when people tear down such incredible pieces like this and then put something so vulgar and tacky in its' stead.
Sad though it is, some committee approved Stokes' planning application and design.
Kinda yanked the rug out from under us with that "the house had been levelled ... make sure and hit that subscribe button." Be gentle on us history lovers.
What happened to G.G. Greens mansion Grey Towers in Woodbury, New Jersey. He was a multi millionaire in the 1850's, making his money making medicine bottles. What happened to him and his mansion?
Almost a minute of intro and outro on a 4:35 video, but at least I know to skip the first 20 seconds and the last 30-40 seconds
So typical!!
Mr John Stokes was a very selfish and prideful man, tragic story 😢
How terrible!.,
Would have had a much bigger impact if it was color
That’s disgusting! Not only to have to have No regard for a piece of history, but to go back on his word! They probably would have gone through with the deal without his 10 thousand and he would have gotten what he wanted anyway, an ugly eyesore parking garage. He must think that he’s going to get rich rom it. I hope No One parks there - every. If I lived there I’d go put signs out every night (until I got caught) saying that not only did he destroy a beautiful historic house house, but he lied in the process! Do Not Park Here!
What a shame .........
Mentioned arts and crafts which is wrong the house was built in 1886 but the arts and crafts movement didn't reach America until the late 1890s the height of the arts and crafts movement in USA was 1900 to 1911...
Stokes is slime.
How dear him,worried what happen to him.Because bad things to bad people
The name is pronounced How-ton.
Well, inside was a total mess and nobody did anything for over 80 years all of the sudden there was interest on it.
The of the community should have sued the deleveaper.
I really love old homes and love your content. However, you speak rather quickly. Please slow down just a smidge. It would make it much better for viewing. Thank you
Ha...people need to put THEIR money where their mouth is...shame no one stepped up, there is so much oil money in TX!
While I have only watched about a dozen episodes and since the architectural style “Beaux Arts” has been repeatedly referred to it really should be pronounced correctly.
What a travesty!
If Sarah Weddington was an example of one of Stokes' "old ladies", Sign me up, I guess I'm into "old ladies", LOL.
Hope the parking lot keeps him warm at nite - that dude's got no class - Art is Life ... not money
There ought to be a law......!!!!!
Artistic house to parking?
Shame on that Stokes guy .He lied and put up an ugly parking garage. He should not be trusted.He did not keep his word
ho ton
Money and greed. Americans at their best.
You cant fight city hall....we tried and lost to developers also.
Pave paradise and put up a parking lot.
That is a travesty!!!!
Pretty sure this name is pronounced “how” ton. Enjoy your videos very much……Patrice
What a jerk going back on his word!!!! Hope he was run out of town!
i wonder why they demolished this beautiful home. Now there is an ugly parking house. Why people do not respect history and old architecture???
The land was worth more as a parking lot. There are cities in Southern California where wonderful mid-Century homes on large lots are bought and demolished to fill the lots to the property lines with big modern mansions.
Some people just want to see the world burn down to cinders....
The only problem I see here as a long term resident of Austin is that he didn’t build the parking garage big enough
Not be disrespectful, but as a relation, we pronounce it How-TON....
Also, in Texas and Austin, it's "Gwad-a-LOOP."
Thankyou for the clarification, cheers!
A parking garage. My god.
John Stokes was a scumbag and should be remembered as such. This house was a treasure, now lost forever.