Tours

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A Walking Tour of Historic Gonzales, Texas

Welcome to Gonzales, Texas, the birthplace of Texas and home of the Come & Take It Cannon! Gonzales' history represents the pride of a people who fought for Texas liberty and independence. No place is this more evident than in the architecture of the homes, churches and commercial buildings that the people of Gonzales built to make their town a home.

In 1825 Green DeWitt established a colony near the confluence of the Guadalupe and San Marcos rivers. The town has two plazas, Confederate Square and Texas Heroes Square, with long boulevards running north and south, east and west in the shape of a Spanish cross. All property within the squares and boulevards was designated as public lands and parks and many of the settlers built their homes and churches around these public spaces. This is the only town in Texas which still uses the plan as surveyed by the Mexican government in 1832. 

We invite you to walk through Gonzales.

Park your car at the Old Jail Museum on the corner of St. Joseph and St. Lawrence for this 1.3 mile walking tour.

* denotes Texas Historical Marker.

Tour Directions

1. Old Jail Museum, 1887, 414 St. Lawrence. *
   Used as the county jail until 1975, cells and gallows occupy second floor, law-and-order artifacts on first floor.
2. Fire Station and T41 Steer weather vane
   The T41 weather vane represents one rancher's brand and his desire to advertise his occupation.
3. Gonzales County Courthouse,1895*
   Designed in form of Greek cross by renowned Texas architect J. Riely Gordon, Romanesque Revival courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
   Visitors may walk through the historic building.
4. Church Square *
   • First United Methodist Church, 1900 426 St. Paul
   • First Baptist Church, 1903, 422 St. Paul St.
   • Part of the public lands grant for the City of Gonzales, now permanently leased to First Baptist and First United Methodist Churches. (Gothic Revival)
5. Edward Lewis House, 1910, 605 St. Louis. Mrs. Lewis' grandfather, Andrew Ponton, was Alcalde (mayor) of Gonzales in 1835.
6. Paul Levyson House, 1877, 612 St. Louis - Greek Revival/Symmetrical Victorian
7. Randle House, 1898, 624 St. Louis. Built by architect W. A. King. Former home of James Polk Randle, prominent Gonzales merchant. (Victorian)
8. J. B. Kennard House, 1895
   621 St. Louis - Designed by J. Riely Gordon, this late Victorian residence is one of a few of its type remaining in Texas. Glass and pottery chip mosaics in gables. Queen Anne/Shingle Style. National Register of Historic Places Marker.
9. Episcopal Church of the Messiah, 1881, 721 St. Louis *
   The oldest public building still in use for its original purpose. Pulpit and altar are of Guadalupe Walnut. (Gothic Revival)
10. Episcopal Rectory, 1890, 721 St. Louis. Rectory and church are on the site of Cemetery Square, as designated in 1832 Mexican survey.
11. Gonzales Junior High School 1940/41 - 400 N. College. The gym, auditorium and school buildings were a WPS project. The vocational building was built one year before.
12. Gonzales College, 1851, 820 St. Louis * 
    One of the first women's colleges in Texas, it was built with stone from Maurin quarry 10 miles away. It has been restored as a private residence.
    (Greek Revival/Victorian)
13. Rather House, 1892, 828 St. Louis* 
    Built during 'Cotton was King' era for C. T. Rather, cotton planter and banker. (Greek Revival/Victorian)
14. Charles Hoskins House, 1911 *
    Architect was Atlee B. Ayres, designer of the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium and Randolph Air Force Base Tower. (Classical Revival)
15. Sam H. Hopkins House, 1911, 912 St. Louis.
    A. B. Ayres designed this house for Hopkins, an attorney. (Classical Revival/Prairie School influence)
16. Frank Vrazel House, c.1910, 1006 St. Louis.
    The Vrazel gin was located next door to the house. (Prairie School)
17. P.R.I.D.E., 1890, 1034 St. Louis. Residence converted into a day-care center. (Victorian)
18. Guadalupe Apts., 1920 *, 1118 St. Louis. Built as a hospital by Dr. George Holmes, converted to apartment building in 1978.
19. Memorial Museum, 1936 *, 414 Smith.
    Built to commemorate 'The Immortal 32' and those who died in service to the Republic of Texas. Houses the 'Come & Take It' cannon. Murals on wall by James Buchanan Winn. Hours: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.; 1-5 p.m. 
20. Midkiff House, 1905, 1222 St. Louis * (Prairie School)
21. Eggleston House, c. 1845, 1300 block of St. Louis. Oldest standing structure in the city. Built by H. Eggleston on the Guadalupe River, it now sits on City Park. (Dog-run log cabin)
22. DAR House, c. 1930. Behind the Eggleston House. Mrs.Murphy had the structure built for Boy Scouts by relief workers under the direction of State Park Supervisor Louis H. Scholl. It was later turned over to the Daughters of the American Revolution.
23. Edward Sweeney House, 1926, 1109 St. Lawrence. Surrounded by spectacular oaks, this house was built by Edward Sweeney, descendant of J. C. Dilworth, early Texas banker. (Cotswald Cottage or English Tudor)
24. G. W. Betts House, c. 1888, 1025 St. Lawrence. Long-time residence. Later residents claim existence of ghosts. (Victorian)
25. Dr. C. B. Patton House, 1907, 927 St. Lawrence. No fireplaces, was heated by a coal-burning furnace located in the basement. (Classical Revival)
26. Robert Scott Dilworth House, 1908, 903 St. Lawrence. Designed by noted architect J. Riely Gordon.
27. G. F. Burgess House, 1897, 803 St. Lawrence. Good example of Eastlake design, this house was built by Congressman George Burgess.
28. Dunn Houston House, 1898, 619 St. Lawrence. This residence remains essentially unchanged from its original appearance. A brother's home by same architect is one block north, with similar floor plan, different facades. (Queen Anne).
29. At corner of St. Lawrence and St. Peter, note the cap well beside the modernized structure.
30. Crystal Theatre, 1917, 511 St. Lawrence. Operated for many years as the New Playhouse, silent films were shown with a pit orchestra performing. The Crystal now serves as a dinner theater, with performances during the year and a children's workshop in the summer.
31. You may end your walking tour by going through the historic downtown area, including Confederate Square, which honors Confederate War dead or Texas Heroes Square to the west.