James Dunn Houston House

James Dunn Houston was born on November 18, 1851, in DeWitt County, to James Andrew Dunn and Julia A Harris Houston, originally from Mississippi. In 1864, the family moved to Gonzales County. At eighteen, Dunn entered the cattle business, driving herds north to Kansas. On December 2, 1873, he married Dora Chenault, daughter of Felix and Eliza Polk Chenault. By the age of twenty-three, Dunn and his brother R A Houston acquired a ranch in the Texas Panhandle, which they sold in 1882 for $525,000—a remarkable sum for that era. With their profits, they purchased a 6,000-acre ranch on the Pecos River and additional lands in Gonzales County, amassing over 22,000 acres. Their large-scale cattle operation was highlighted by a report in The Gonzales Inquirer in 1884, noting shipments of thousands of cattle to Wichita Falls. In 1895, Dunn began construction on this red brick Queen Anne Victorian house, completing it in 1898. Dunn moved to San Antonio in 1900, becoming president of the Lockwood National Bank. The house was sold to George Norwood Dilworth and his family. Margaret Dilworth Lewis, their widowed daughter, lived in the house until her death in 1950

James died on January 1, 1920, and is buried at Mission Memorial Park Cemetery in San Antonio. Dora passed away on July 5, 1931, and was laid to rest beside her husband.

The home boasts fifteen main rooms, five bathrooms, and unique fireplaces in each of the main rooms. The first-story floors feature original oak hardwood with intricate parquet patterns, while carved ceiling medallions in the dining and living areas frame elegant light fixtures. Two murals painted on canvas, acquired from New Orleans, still adorn the foyer. The property also includes an indoor conservatory and elaborate molding throughout.