DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Nichols-Rice-Cherry House — and friend, this one's got layers. A Greek Revival house built in 1850 by General Ebenezer Nichols, standing proud at the corner of Congress and San Jacinto streets. Now that right there is a house with some intention to it — columns, symmetry, the whole classical statement.
General Nichols knew what he was doing. Six years later, in 1856, the house was sold to a man named William M. Rice, a philanthropist.
The marker calls him that plainly, and we'll leave it there. So the house passes hands, as houses do. But here's where the story takes a turn that nobody writes in architecture school. 1897.
The house comes up for sale again, and a woman by the name of Mrs. E. R.
Cherry acquires it. Now pay attention to how she acquires it — with a twenty-five dollar bid on the front door. Twenty-five dollars.
For a Greek Revival house that General Ebenezer Nichols built back in 1850. Whatever the circumstances of that auction, Mrs. Cherry walked away holding the deed, and she was not about to leave well enough alone.
She had that house moved — moved bodily, the whole structure — to 806 Fargo. And then, sometime after that, it was moved again to where it stands today, and restored. The Harris County Heritage Society took on that restoration in 1959, and the work they did is what you're looking at right now.
Three owners, two moves, one twenty-five dollar bid, and a house that has somehow refused to disappear. That's the Nichols-Rice-Cherry House — and it earned every name on that sign.
What the marker says
Greek revival house built 1850 by Gen. Ebenezer Nichols at Congress and San Jacinto streets, sold to Wm. M. Rice, a philanthropist, 1856. Bought by Mrs. E. R. Cherry, 1897, with $25 bid on front door; moved by her to 806 Fargo. Later moved here and restored. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967 Incise in base: Restored 1959 by Harris County Heritage Society