West Hill

Constructed: 1855

Address: 1703 West Avenue

Built around 1855 by Abner Hugh Cook and his son, Westhill is a distinctive Greek Revival home west of the Capitol, featuring Cook’s signature clustered-stick balustrades, fluted cypress Doric columns, and a double-gallery entrance. Constructed of Austin limestone and brick to suit the sloped terrain, it was originally built for Mary and Reuben Runner, who received the land via homestead patent. The home later passed to merchant Nathaniel Townsend and then to Colonel Frederick W. Chandler, whose son-in-law, Henry E. Shelley, became a notable Austin attorney and public servant. The Shelley family, including Texas Attorney General Nathan G. Shelley and later Austin Mayor William D. Shelley, were deeply rooted in the area and gave their name to Shelley Street. From 1917 to 1969, the home was owned by the Thompson family, after serving briefly as a fraternity house, and has since been restored by the Williamson family.