Neill-Cochran House Museum – Austin, Texas
Built in 1855 this house demonstrates the Greek Revival style with it’s Classic Doric columns. The house was built by Abner Cook for Washington Hill. Cook was the builder of the Texas Governor’s Mansion as well as other stately homes in the Austin area.
With the cost of the residence being higher than Hill anticipated he had to sell three slaves and borrowed money to finish the house. He never got the opportunity to live in the house and sold it to investors who leased it to the Texas Asylum for the Blind to use until their school and dorm were completed. Then the house was leased to Lt. Governor Fletcher Stockade.
Following the Civil Ware there were Federal troops that required medical assistance so the house was leased to the US Government as a hospital. For two years, during the Reconstruction, troops were housed and treated at the house. It is said that General George Armstrong Custer many have visited the House. The damage done to the house by the soldiers nor the rent owed by the government were ever paid. Because of this the house was sold a couple more times and finally purchased by Judge Thomas Beauford Cochran and his wife. They purchased the house in 1895 and the family owned the house until 1958 when they sold it to the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of Texas.
The house is filled with the furnishings dating from 1780 – 1925 in period rooms: Colonial, Empire, Rococo Revival and Victorian. A complete tour of the museum includes the front porch, front hall, and four rooms downstairs (three parlors and the dining room); a winding staircase, upstairs hall, and four rooms upstairs (three bedrooms and the library); the back hall; and a detached, two-story structure known as the Rock House Dependency, containing artifacts, furnishings, and 19th century kitchen tools.
The house is used as an educational tool for the elementary schools in the state with tours, history lessons and more.
The tour of the house usually takes 45 minutes, escorted by either the NCHM Director or a designated docent. A more leisurely tour that considers numerous furnishing may take an hour.
Hours: 2-5 Tuesday – Saturday. Closed Thanksgiving Day and December 24 – January 2nd.
Group Tours: Contact Cecille Marcato, NCHM Director at 512-478-2335
Admission: $5 per person with Children 15 and younger Free.
Accessibility: The first floor is accessible to all but the second floors are not wheelchair-accessible.
Location: 2310 Sam Gabriel, Austin, Texas. From I-35 go west on 26th St. (Dean Keeton) to Guadalupe, south on Guadalupe to 24th St, west on 24th St. to San Gabriel, turn one block south to the museum. Form LOOP 1 (MoPac), east on Windsor Rd. At Lamar Blvd, Windsor Rd becomes 24th St. Proceed east to San Gabriel. Turn one block south to the museum.
Parking: Parking is available to visitors in the NCHM lot immediately behind the house. Entrance to the gated lot is on West 23rd St. which borders the museum property on the south.
Phone: 512-478-2335
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