Magoffin Homestead
Encyclopedia
Magoffin Homestead was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1971. The surrounding area was declared the Magoffin Historic District on February 19, 1985. The home is now known as the Magoffin Home State Historic Site.
The Magoffin Home, built in 1875, is a combination of the local adobe
style combined with Greek revival details and is an example of the Territorial style. The thick adobe walls keep the house cool in the summer heat and warm in the winter. The house consists of three wings, each built at a different time, the last being built in the 1880s as the center that connected the two previous wings. There are 19 rooms, 8 fireplaces, and 14 feet (4.3 m) ceilings. Members of the family lived in it for 110 years, and many of the original furnishings are still displayed, including a 13 feet (4 m) half-canopy bed.
Built by pioneer Joseph Magoffin, he lived there with his wife, Octavia (MacGreal) until their deaths. Their daughter, Josephine, who had married William Jefferson Glasgow, a future Brigadier General
in an extravaganza newspapers hailed as the 'wedding of the century', inherited the house. The last member of the family to live in the home was Octavia Magoffin Glasgow, Josephine's daughter, who died in 1986. Shy but friendly spirits reportedly still inhabit the home.
After retiring from the military, the Glasgows returned to El Paso, Texas
and remodeled the interior of the home, installing gas heat, updating plumbing and electrical service, and modernizing the kitchen. The remodeling including removing the Victorian wallpapers and the canvas ceilings. In 1976, the home was sold to the City and State, although Joseph's granddaughter, Octavia Magoffin Glasgow, retained lifetime tenancy and continued to live in the home until her death in 1986. In 1977-1978, the house was restored by historic preservationist Eugene George, a professor of the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin
.
The homestead is located at 1120 Magoffin Ave. in El Paso, Texas
and is currently jointly owned by the City of El Paso and the State of Texas. It is maintained by the Texas Historical Commission
. There is a historical marker. The Casa Magoffin Companeros (Friends of the Magoffin Home) host several annual events at the home, including a Victorian Tea in May and a Holiday Tea and Reception in December.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1971. The surrounding area was declared the Magoffin Historic District on February 19, 1985. The home is now known as the Magoffin Home State Historic Site.
The Magoffin Home, built in 1875, is a combination of the local adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
style combined with Greek revival details and is an example of the Territorial style. The thick adobe walls keep the house cool in the summer heat and warm in the winter. The house consists of three wings, each built at a different time, the last being built in the 1880s as the center that connected the two previous wings. There are 19 rooms, 8 fireplaces, and 14 feet (4.3 m) ceilings. Members of the family lived in it for 110 years, and many of the original furnishings are still displayed, including a 13 feet (4 m) half-canopy bed.
Built by pioneer Joseph Magoffin, he lived there with his wife, Octavia (MacGreal) until their deaths. Their daughter, Josephine, who had married William Jefferson Glasgow, a future Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in an extravaganza newspapers hailed as the 'wedding of the century', inherited the house. The last member of the family to live in the home was Octavia Magoffin Glasgow, Josephine's daughter, who died in 1986. Shy but friendly spirits reportedly still inhabit the home.
After retiring from the military, the Glasgows returned to El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
and remodeled the interior of the home, installing gas heat, updating plumbing and electrical service, and modernizing the kitchen. The remodeling including removing the Victorian wallpapers and the canvas ceilings. In 1976, the home was sold to the City and State, although Joseph's granddaughter, Octavia Magoffin Glasgow, retained lifetime tenancy and continued to live in the home until her death in 1986. In 1977-1978, the house was restored by historic preservationist Eugene George, a professor of the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
.
The homestead is located at 1120 Magoffin Ave. in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
and is currently jointly owned by the City of El Paso and the State of Texas. It is maintained by the Texas Historical Commission
Texas Historical Commission
The Texas Historical Commission is an agency dedicated to historic preservation within the state of Texas. It administers the National Register of Historic Places for sites in Texas....
. There is a historical marker. The Casa Magoffin Companeros (Friends of the Magoffin Home) host several annual events at the home, including a Victorian Tea in May and a Holiday Tea and Reception in December.