Johnson-Taylor House

Duane's take

The way the marker tells it, here's the story of the Johnson-Taylor House. Now, a good house has a way of becoming something greater than what it started out to be, and this one is a fine example of exactly that. Back in 1873, a merchant by the name of Sanford Taylor broke ground on what was, by all accounts, a straightforward piece of work.

Simple, two-story, pink brick. Honest construction for an honest purpose. By 1879 it stood complete, and there it sat, doing what houses do.

But the story was just getting started. Come 1912, the place changed hands, passing to P.G. and Eva Carter Taylor. And that is when things got interesting.

The Taylors looked at that sensible pink brick house and apparently saw something waiting to get out. They set about making what the marker calls basic architectural changes, though there is nothing basic about what they added. A north wing.

A portico. And then the details that really make you stop and look: French doors, fan lights with fine tracery, embellishments that turned a plain residence into something with genuine grand manner. That is the marker's own phrase, and it earns it.

Then 1957 rolls around, and the house changes hands one more time, purchased for the Waco Council of Garden Clubs. Today it stands as the Nell Pape Garden Center. A merchant's simple brick box, dressed up, passed on, and put to work for the community.

Not a bad second act. Not a bad third one either.

What the marker says

Erected 1873-79 by merchant Sanford Taylor as a simple, two-story pink brick residence, this house acquired its grand manner after sale (1912) to P.G. and Eva Carter Taylor. The Taylors made basic architectural changes,adding north wing and portico with handsome french doors, fan lights with fine tracery, and other embellishments. Purchased in 1957 for Waco Council of Garden Clubs, this is now the Nell Pape Garden Center.