Commissioned by Elizabeth Nelson Smith Atkinson in 1884 following the death of her husband Robert Alexander Atkinson on May 3, 1883, this residence represents a late nineteenth century woman directly overseeing construction and household affairs. She selected a lot across from her son William Mayo Atkinson and completed the dwelling within a year. The Atkinson family’s Gonzales presence in this era is routinely noted in regional histories and marker files for adjacent properties, which document the family’s legal practice, education leadership, and property acquisitions in the 1870s and 1880s.
Historic Home Information
Quick Info
Designation: Local historic interest for a woman-led household that maintained Atkinson family continuity after 1883.
Period of significance: 1884 through the early twentieth century for construction and family tenure.
Notable owners and associations: Elizabeth Nelson Smith Atkinson; William Mayo Atkinson.
Architecture: Greek Revival composition expressed through symmetrical massing, a classical entry porch, tall window and door openings suitable to cross-ventilation, and interior finishes consistent with 1880s carpentry in town. Surviving descriptions of Atkinson-related properties in local heritage surveys support the materials profile common to Gonzales houses of the period, including cypress and longleaf pine brought inland from Gulf ports.
206 Saint James St, Gonzales, Texas
Detailed Information
Location