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Governor's Mansion Review

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Governor's Mansion

Fodor's Review:

Abner Cook, a leading architect of his day, designed the mansion, one of Austin's most elegant dwellings. The 1865 home has been the home of every Texas governor since the state's fifth, Elisha Marshall Pease. Constructed of bricks made in Austin and wood from nearby forests, the two-story mansion bears the marks of those who have lived here, including Gov. James Hogg, who, to keep his children from speedballing down the banister on their rears, hammered tacks into the railing. The tack holes are still visible. The mansion has many fine furnishings, paintings, and antiques, including Sam Houston's bed and Stephen F. Austin's desk. Unfortunately, in order to visit, you'll have to wait until at least the spring of 2009, when it is expected to reopen after extensive renovations.

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