Sebastopol House Historic Site (1856-Present)

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

The Sebastopol House was built in 1856 by craftsmen enslaved by Colonel Joshua Wright Young. The home was built using "slip-form casting," a method created by John Esten Park using concrete made with gravel and lime. This house is one of the nation’s preeminent examples of the use of this type of construction technology and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. The structure served as a home to Seguin mayor Joseph Zorn Jr., and his family and the property remained in the family for 87 years. Today, the house serves as a museum containing many artifacts and furnishings from the Zorn family as well as pottery from the Wilson Pottery Foundation.

Images

A current day photo of the Sebastopol House built in 1856.

The plaque that stands outside the home explaining its significance.

The sign outside the home explaining what it is and its hours of operation.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The Historic Sebastopol House is a Greek Revival style house located in Seguin, Texas, on the corner of West Court and North Erkel, and was built by Colonel Joshua Wright Young owing to the labor and talent of his slaves in 1856-1857 for his sister, Catherine LeGette. Sitting on 2.2 acres of land, the house got its name after a Russian naval base in the Crimean War. The house was built using a technique created by John Esten Park, with concrete made with local gravel and lime, which was then poured into “slip-form wall casting.” This technique makes the integrity of the structure much more reliable and doesn’t require any joints. Many houses in Seguin were constructed this way, but the Sebastopol House is a prime example of this technology because it’s one of the best-preserved houses like this in the US.

In 1964, the Sebastopol House was listed as a Registered Texas Historic Landmark. It was later recognized on August 25, 1970, on the National Register of Historic Places on account of its building method. It is one of the oldest houses built using this style.

Catherine LeGette lived in the home until it was sold in 1874 to Joseph Zorn, Jr., Mayor of Seguin from 1890 to 1910, whose family lived there until 1961. The Seguin Conservation Society owned the property until 1976 when the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department purchased it, restored it, and reopened it to the public in September of 1989. In 2011, the City of Seguin became the new owner of the property.

Today, the Sebastopol House is used as a museum open to the public with guided tours to those who wish to participate. The Sebastopol House contains many artifacts left behind from previous owners, such as furniture dating back as far as the 1850s. The tours show visitors the technology that slaves used to build this unique home, years prior to the Civil War. There is also plenty of rare pottery made by the Wilson Pottery Foundation located inside. Tours are free to the public and happen every hour on days Thursday through Sunday hours from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Sources

Long, Christopher. "SEBASTOPOL HOUSE STATE HISTORIC STRUCTURE | The Handbook of Texas Online| Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)." Texas State Historical Association - The Authority on Texas History. Accessed July 6, 2020. https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ggs05.

"Sebastopol House Historic Site - Seguin, TX - History Museums on Waymarking.com." Waymarking - A Scavenger Hunt for Unique and Interesting Locations in the World. Accessed July 7, 2020. https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMGDQX_Sebastopol_House_Historic_Site_Seguin_TX.

"Sebastopol House Historic Site." Independence Trail Region. Accessed July 6, 2020. https://texasindependencetrail.com/plan-your-adventure/historic-sites-and-cities/sites/sebastopol-house-historic-site.

"Sebastopol House." Welcome to City of Seguin, TX. Accessed July 6, 2020. https://www.seguintexas.gov/departments/parks_and_recreation/sebastopol_house.php.

Image Sources(Click to expand)