Bowie-Watson House aka “Watson Chateau”
Originally built in 1853 by Margaret Neville Bowie, widow of Rezin Bowie (inventor of the Bowie Knife), the Bowie-Watson House is a rare surviving antebellum residence in central Austin. It has been owned by several prominent Austinites over the decades, including its last private owner, interior designer Arthur Pope Watson Jr., who purchased the property in 1959 and shared the home with his partner Robert Wayne Garrett. Watson and Garrett hosted legendary parties and gatherings in the home, providing a much-needed respite for members of Austin’s LGBTQ community to gather safely.
Although The University of Texas acquired the property through eminent domain in the late 1960s, Watson and Garret were allowed to remain in their home. After Watson’s death 1993, Garret continued living there until 2009. Over the years, the house has been dwarfed and hidden from public view by surrounding new construction. Today the house is physically deteriorating and quickly slipping from local collective memory. Lying within the footprint of the future UT Austin Medical District, which contains the university’s new Dell Medical School, continued redevelopment of the area will permanently alter its setting.
Preservation of the oldest structure on UT’s campus would protect a very rare historic resource while ensuring that an important 20th century cultural landmark survives. The house is suffering from demolition by neglect because the University has not invested any time or resources to protect it. We join local advocates in raising awareness of the significance of this property, and in urging the Board of Regents and other stakeholders to ensure its long-term protection.
For more information visit www.watsonchateau.com
ADDRESS: 500 E. 18th St, Austin (Travis County)
DESIGNATION: None
STATUS: Endangered
OWNER: University of Texas
RESOURCE TYPE: Residence
YEAR LISTED: 2022
