William Sidney Porter House
Encyclopedia
The William Sidney Porter House or O. Henry House is a historic structure in Austin, Texas
. William Sidney Porter, better known as the author O. Henry
, lived there between 1893 and 1895.
The Porter house was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on June 18, 1973. The house is known today as the O. Henry Museum.
The cottage is a simplified version of the Eastlake Style of architecture. The house was built in 1886 and rented between 1893 and 1895 by William Sidney Porter, better known as the author O. Henry
. Porter lived in the house with his wife, Athol, and daughter, Margaret, before they moved to Houston
, where Porter began writing full time for the Houston Post
.
The residence remained a rental property until 1930 when it was to be demolished to construct a warehouse. The house was donated to the City of Austin and moved from its original location at 308 East Fourth Street to its current location at 409 East Fifth Street. The house was restored and opened as a museum
in 1934. The many period pieces on display include some of the Porter's furniture and personal belongings. The structure underwent further restoration in 1994-95 with a renewed roof and the replacement of four brick chimney
s lost in 1934.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. William Sidney Porter, better known as the author O. Henry
O. Henry
O. Henry was the pen name of the American writer William Sydney Porter . O. Henry's short stories are well known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings.-Early life:...
, lived there between 1893 and 1895.
The Porter house was added to the National Register of Historic Places
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...
on June 18, 1973. The house is known today as the O. Henry Museum.
The cottage is a simplified version of the Eastlake Style of architecture. The house was built in 1886 and rented between 1893 and 1895 by William Sidney Porter, better known as the author O. Henry
O. Henry
O. Henry was the pen name of the American writer William Sydney Porter . O. Henry's short stories are well known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings.-Early life:...
. Porter lived in the house with his wife, Athol, and daughter, Margaret, before they moved to Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, where Porter began writing full time for the Houston Post
Houston Post
The Houston Post was a newspaper that had its headquarters in Houston, Texas, United States. In 1995, the newspaper was absorbed into the Houston Chronicle.-History:The newspaper was established on February 19, 1880, by Gail Borden Johnson...
.
The residence remained a rental property until 1930 when it was to be demolished to construct a warehouse. The house was donated to the City of Austin and moved from its original location at 308 East Fourth Street to its current location at 409 East Fifth Street. The house was restored and opened as a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in 1934. The many period pieces on display include some of the Porter's furniture and personal belongings. The structure underwent further restoration in 1994-95 with a renewed roof and the replacement of four brick chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
s lost in 1934.