The Neyland-Gilmer House

Duane's take

The way this marker tells it, here's what happened on this spot in Orange County. Albert Neyland was born in 1854, son of Orange pioneers, and in 1875 he married Louisa Jett and built a small house right here on this site. That small house had a future bigger than anybody probably figured at the time.

Albert himself didn't live to see much of it. He died in 1890, and Louisa lived on until 1914. But the real turn in this story came earlier, back in 1877, when a man named Alexander Gilmer bought the property.

Now Gilmer, born in 1829 and living until 1906, was not a small operator. He owned sawmills throughout Texas and held real estate in Orange. A man like that buys a modest little house, you can bet he's got something else in mind.

And sure enough, what went up around that original structure was a full Victorian residence, built right around it, the old bones of Neyland's small house tucked inside something considerably grander. Gilmer eventually deeded the property to his daughter Martha when she married a man named H. S.

Filson. The Filsons had their time in it. Then, after the Filson occupancy ended, the house settled into a quieter life as residential and rental property.

That little house Albert Neyland built in 1875 has been a lot of things to a lot of people. It's still standing here to say so.

What the marker says

Albert Neyland (1854-1890), son of Orange pioneers, married Louisa Jett (1855-1914) in 1875 and built a small house at this site. In 1877 Alexander Gilmer (1829-1906) bought the property. Gilmer owned sawmills throughout Texas and real estate in Orange. This Victorian residence was built around the original structure. Gilmer deeded it to his daughter Martha when she married H. S. Filson. After the Filson occupancy ended, it became residential and rental property. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1979