Carlock Home

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm just along for the ride. Way out in Wood County, there stands a house that does not apologize for itself. Not even a little.

The Carlock Home. Built in 1903 by Marcus DeWitt Carlock, Senior, and if you know anything about the man, the house makes perfect sense. Carlock was a prominent early-day attorney, a Confederate courier, a political leader, and a personal friend of Governor Jim Hogg.

Friend of the governor. That's not nothing. And if that weren't enough, he was a member of the Electoral College that named Woodrow Wilson president.

The man moved in consequential circles, and when it came time to build himself a home, he apparently decided the walls should reflect that. Literally. Five-ply walls.

Double floors. A foundation with enough brick in it to build an entirely separate five-room house. Just in the foundation.

Now, when they say colonial mansion, they mean it. Seventeen rooms. Fifty-three windows.

Four porches. Six columns. And inside, a stairway made of rare, curly pine, the kind of detail you put in a house when you expect high officials to notice it.

Which they did, because Marcus DeWitt Carlock, Senior entertained many high officials right there under that roof. Governors, maybe. Electoral men.

Friends of power and politics in a Texas that was still figuring out what it was going to be. Fifty-three windows, friend. That house was watching everything.

And everything was watching it right back.

What the marker says

1903 - Colonial mansion built by Marcus DeWitt Carlock, Sr., prominent early-day attorney, Confederate courier, political leader, friend of Governor Jim Hogg, member Electoral College that named Woodrow Wilson president. Entertained many high officials in his home Stairway of rare, curly pine. 17 rooms, 53 windows, 4 porches, 6 columns; double floors, 5-ply walls; foundation had enough brick to build a 5-room house. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966