Charming Hyde Park Buildings and Homes

Posted by staff writer on Wednesday, September 7th, 2016 at 3:35am.

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Hyde Park offers a snapshot of authentic Austin history through its gracious old homes and clapboard bungalows. It’s the oldest, and arguably the most coveted, neighborhood in the Texas capital.

The suburb's two historic districts – the rather evocatively named Shadow Lawn and Hyde Park Historic District – include many buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Walk the quiet tree-lined streets and you’ll encounter examples of Victorian, Queen Anne and Tudor Revival architecture. You'll also discover the eccentric dream homes of legendary old Austinites, which feature a mélange of architectural styles.

Elisabet Ney Museum

Elisabet nay museum © image via Tomkatunion

The cornerstone of Hyde Park’s historic districts is the Elisabet Ney Studio and Museum. It’s an unusual limestone structure that features a castellated tower, classic columns, a winding staircase, and a hidden "skytrap" to the roof.

The studio was built in 1893 in the Neoclassical architectural style. Its original owner was the renowned sculptress, philosopher, and feminist, Elisabet Ney.

Today, the stately home is open to the public. It houses plaster casts of Ney's marble portraits of historical figures – as do the Smithsonian, the United States Capitol, and the National Statuary Hall in Washington.

Peter and Clotilde Shipe Mansbendel House

Mansbeudel© image via Mapio

Built in 1925 by the renowned Swiss-born master carpenter, Peter Mansbendel, this gracious historic home has all the trimmings of the Tudor Revival architectural style.

Steep multi-gabled roof lines, casement windows with panes arranged in a distinctive diamond pattern, decorative half timber framing, and a towering brick chimney are among its key elements.

The home was posted on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, and is currently privately owned.

Oliphant-Walker House

Opliphant-walker house© image via Mapio

Located on 3900 Avenue C in the heart of Hyde Park is the Oliphant-Walker House. This historic stately home, built in 1894, is a fine combination of Victorian and Queen Anne architecture.

Standout features, characteristic of the architectural styles, include a steeply pitched roof, a prominent forward-facing gable, bay windows, and covered porches.

The home was built for William J Oliphant, a renowned photographer best remembered for publishing the first images of buffalo hunts in Texas.

In 1916, the house was sold to the President of the Texas Woman Suffrage Association, Anna Walker.

Hildreth Flanagan Heierman House

Hildreth Flanagan house© image from David E Hollingsworth

Built in a 1902 for a little over $2,000, the Hildreth Flanagan Heierman House is a fine blend of Queen Anne and Colonial Revival architectural styles.

It's set on a lush, well-shaded allotment on 3909 Avenue G, and is a lovely old mansion, dominated by deep covered porches and decorative white-washed wooden balustrades. It features classic columns, an outsize chimney, bay windows, and a symmetrical clapboard façade.

The home was constructed by master builder, William Voss, and is classified as a grade 4 historic property. According to the Historic American Buildings website, it “embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, and represents the work of a master.”

Own your own slice of Austin history

Location, elegance and proximity to Downtown Austin have ensured that Hyde Park is as sought after today as it was in its heyday, more than 100 years ago.

You too can claim a slice of authentic Austin history by investing in Hyde Park real estate. The neighborhood includes a choice of well maintained bungalows, affordable single family dwellings, and stately heritage homes.

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