DUANE
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Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Out in Colorado County, there's a house that knows a thing or two about staying put. A hundred years in the McCormick family.
That alone ought to make you slow down. The house itself goes back to 1868, built in that style folks called an Early Texas cottage. Cypress and pine, five rooms inside, and out back a detached kitchen and dining room, because in those days you kept your cooking at a respectful distance.
And here's the detail that'll stick with you: square nails. Not the round wire nails that came later. Square nails.
The kind that tell you exactly how old a house is just by reaching out and touching the wall. Now, the man behind all this was George McCormick, born in Virginia in 1841. He made his way to Texas in 1858, and Texas, as it tends to do, changed the whole shape of his life.
He served in the Confederate Army, came through it, and started building something lasting. In 1871 he married Myrah Thatcher, and together they raised five children in this county, in this place. But McCormick wasn't content to just settle quietly.
He helped write the Constitution of 1876. Think about that. The governing document of the whole state of Texas, and his hand was in it.
Then came the attorney general's office, 1878 to 1880. Then, starting in 1884 and running through 1892, he served as judge of the 25th Judicial District. The man shaped Texas law from the ground up and from the bench down.
He died in 1905. But that cottage, cypress and pine, square nails and all, kept standing. Kept belonging to the family.
A hundred years. Some houses just decide they aren't going anywhere, and honestly, who's going to argue with square nails.
What the marker says
In McCormick family 100 years. "Early Texas" cottage, built 1868, with square nails; of cypress and pine wood; had five rooms, detached kitchen, dining room. Born in Virginia, McCormick (1841-1905) came to Texas 1858; served in Confederate Army; in 1871 married Myrah Thatcher; had five children. He helped write Constitution of 1876; was attorney general 1878-1880; served 1884-1892 as judge of 25th Judicial District.