Trammell House

Duane's take

The way the official marker tells it, here's the story of the Trammell House in Nolan County. Now, not many men earn a title like 'Father of Sweetwater,' but Thomas Trammell, rancher and banker, born in 1848 and gone by 1919, apparently did exactly that. And a man who helps bring railroads to a town, well, he tends to know people.

So when it came time to build a house, Trammell didn't just hire any architect. He hired a noted California architect by the name of John Young. And he knew of Young because of something specific: Young's design work for the Santa Fe Railway.

That's the kind of connection that gets a man a house worth remembering. Construction ran from 1911 to 1913, and what came out of those years is something called Mission Revival-Prairie School architecture. Two schools of design sharing one roofline, and on top of that, a unique atrium right there inside the walls.

Now the house has seen more than one chapter of life. From 1923 to 1936, it wasn't just a fine residence. It was the only hospital in the area.

The only one. Whatever the people of that region needed, this was the place they came. And after all of that, Trammell's daughter and her family moved in and called it home.

The house stood through the years, and in 1991, Raymond and Beverly Stone, Beverly going by Raspberry before she was a Stone, restored it. Some houses just keep finding people who believe they're worth saving.

What the marker says

Rancher and banker Thomas Trammell (1848-1919) was called the "Father of Sweetwater." He hired noted California architect John Young to design this house. Trammell, who helped bring railroads to Sweetwater, knew of Young's design work for the Santa Fe Railway. Built in 1911-13, this house reflects the Mission Revival-Prairie School style of architecture and features a unique atrium. From 1923 to 1936 the house served as the only hospital in the area. Later Trammell's daughter and her family occupied the home. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1996 Incise on base: Restored by Raymond and Beverly (Raspberry) Stone in 1991