Saigling House

Duane's take

The official marker tells the story, and here's my telling of it — the story of the Saigling House in Plano, Collin County. Now, before there was much of a Plano to speak of, the Houston and Texas Central Railroad came through in the 1870s and changed the arithmetic entirely. Suddenly there were agricultural markets within reach, and growth followed like it tends to do when the trains show up.

That's the world Celestine and Charles Frederick Saigling were looking at when they packed up from Houston in 1881. Celestine, born in 1854, and C.F., born in 1840, saw opportunity up in Plano and north Texas, and they were not the kind of people to let opportunity stand there waiting. C.F. got to work.

He established the C.F. Saigling Lumber Company. Then the C.F.

Saigling Planing Mill. Then the Saigling Milling Company. The man had a way of seeing a gap and filling it — and then putting his name on it, which, to be fair, is a time-honored Texas tradition.

But C.F. wasn't just building a business empire and calling it a day. He served on the Plano city council from 1884 to 1885, sat on the first Plano school board, and was active in other organizations besides. So active, so woven into the fabric of that town, that Saigling Elementary School was eventually named in his honor.

C.F. Saigling died in 1906, but that name stayed on the building. Now Celestine — she had her own long story to tell.

A longtime member of First Christian Church of Plano, she outlived her husband by more than two decades and kept right on living with intention. And in 1918, she did something that still stands on a Plano street today. She commissioned a house.

Not just any house — a Craftsman style house, designed by the Dallas architecture firm of Lang and Witchell. Lang and Witchell were no small outfit. In the early twentieth century, that firm was laying its mark across Texas — high-rise office buildings, schools, department stores, courthouses, residences.

They had range, and the Saigling House was one of the things they turned their eye toward. What came out of it was a two-story brick residence with a side-gabled roof — and in its day, it was among the first brick veneer houses in Plano. Out front, a full-width L-shaped porch supported by large square columns wrapped the face of the house.

That porch was removed sometime between 1935 and 1945 — gone, just like that — but it was later reconstructed, and the house carries it again today. Celestine owned that house until her death in 1932. She'd been born in 1854 and she lived in the world long enough to see Plano grow from a railroad town into something considerably more.

Her estate sold the property in 1935, and the house went on to shelter other notable lives — Dr. Oliver T. Mitchell among them, and Fred Miers, who served three terms as mayor of Plano.

Three-term mayor. First brick veneer. First school board.

There's a pattern here — the Saigling name, and this house, keep turning up at the beginnings of things. The marker calls the Saigling House one of the most popular early twentieth century architectural styles. But what it really is, is a record — of a couple who came to Plano in 1881 looking for opportunity, and left a mark on that town that you can still walk up to, stand on the porch of, and see plain as day.

What the marker says

The Houston & Texas Central Railroad brought access to agricultural markets and growth to Plano in the 1870s. Celestine (Pillot) (1854-1932) and Charles Frederick (C.F.) (1840-1906) Saigling moved from Houston to Plano in 1881 to pursue business opportunities in Plano and north Texas. C.F. Saigling was an active community and civic leader during his time in Plano. He established the C.F. Saigling Lumber Company, C.F. Saigling Planing Mill and the Saigling Milling Company. Saigling also served on the Plano city council (1884-1885), the first Plano school board and other organizations. Saigling Elementary School was named in his honor. Celestine Saigling was a longtime member of First Christian Church of Plano. In 1918, Celestine Saigling built this Craftsman style house designed by the Dallas architecture firm of Lang and Witchell. The notable firm designed high-rise office buildings, schools, department stores, courthouses, residences and other buildings in Texas in the early 20th century. The Saigling House is a two-story brick residence with a side-gabled roof. A full-width L-shaped porch supported by large square columns, removed sometime between 1935 and 1945 but later reconstructed, fronts the house. The design was among the first brick veneer houses in Plano. Celestine Saigling owned the house until her death in 1932. Her estate sold the property in 1935. Later notable resident included Dr. Oliver T. Mitchell and Fred Miers, a three-term mayor of Plano. Home to several prominent citizens, the Saigling House played a significant role in Plano's history and showcases one of the most popular early 20th century architectural styles. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2018