Texana Thursday: A Mansion on the Coast (updated after Hurricane Harvey)

The Fulton Mansion in Rockport (Creative Commons license attribution: photo courtesy Osunikon)

UPDATE: This article appeared when Hurricane Harvey hit Rockport, where the Fulton Mansion is located. According to reports, the mansion sustained significant roof damage from the storm. Here’s hoping repairs can be made and the mansion properly restored to its prominence.

Many Texans dream of having their own a mansion on the coast. George and Harriet Fulton lived the dream.

It was quite a dream. Their mansion, Oakhurst, is in Rockport, which is about 35 miles northeast of Corpus Christi. Oakhurst faces Aransas Bay and is a significant example of Victorian-era architecture. It gets its name from being on property that is surrounded by oak and palm trees. The house took three years to build and the Fultons began living in it in 1877.

George and Harriet Fulton were a remarkable couple who lived in the mid-to-late 19th century. George was a schoolteacher in Indiana when he heard about the Texas Revolution of 1836. He decided to move south, and while he was too late to fight in the revolution, he served in the Texas Army for a few months.

Harriet Smith Fulton was the daughter of Henry Smith, who secretary of the treasury in the Republic of Texas government. George had done some surveying and reconnaissance work and had met Smith in the hopes of selling that work. But the Texas government was short of funds, and Smith gave George a personal loan. They became close personal friends. Later, George became a schoolteacher in Brazoria, where he met and married Harriet.

George was recognized for his ingenuity. Besides the Victorian-era architecture, the house had conveniences such as central heating, gas lighting, and indoor plumbing. These conveniences are taken for granted today, but were relatively new at the time.

Harriet supervised the household operations. The Fultons had servants, and she didn’t care for housework. Gardening was one of her passions, however, and visitors to Oakhurst today can see her gardens.

George died in 1893. Three years later, Harriet left Oakhurst, never to return. It wasn’t the same without George. She died in 1910.

The house went through a succession of owners. In 1976, the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife acquired the house. Today the Texas Historical Commission manages the house. Even if history isn’t your thing, the house is worth a visit.