Berclair Mansion
The Berclair Mansion was built in 1936. It is a 22-room, 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) mansion located in Berclair, Texas (between Goliad and Beeville, Texas). It is considered the largest steel strand house in the US, constructed with over 60 tons of concrete and steel.[1]
The mansion was built by Etta Terrell and she resided there with her four sisters until her death.[2] Etta employed Cowell & Weaver Inc. of Corpus Christi, Texas to build and construction of the home cost $57,525.[3] Today, that would be just under $1,000,000. When Etta was a child, her home was destroyed in a fire, giving her the inspiration to build a home that would essentially be fireproof.[4] The Berclair Mansion was originally furnished with unique pieces from all over the world, as well as a few items from Etta's family home that had burned in a fire.[5] The house still retains all of its original furnishing and tours are offered the first Sunday of every month.[6] According to ghost hunting organizations, the mansion is allegedly haunted.[7] The house is owned and operated by the Beeville Art Association.
References
- Raymond Starr (25 November 2009). Goliad. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 93–. ISBN 978-0-7385-7873-6. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
- Sault, Spring. Supernatural Spinster Sisters Still Reside at Berclair Mansion? Texas Hill Country, January 19, 2017. https://texashillcountry.com/supernatural-spinster-sisters-berclair-mansion
- Putman, Harry C. The Cuero Record (Cuero, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 179, Ed. 1 Friday, July 31, 1936, newspaper, July 31, 1936; Cuero, Texas.(https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1015966/: accessed November 13, 2019),
- Stewart, Wayne. Berclair Mansion. Texas Farm and Home, June 29, 2017.http://texasfarmandhome.com/2017/06/29/berclair-mansion/
- Putman, Harry C. The Cuero Record (Cuero, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 127, Ed. 1 Wednesday, May 26, 1937, newspaper, May 26, 1937; Cuero, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth995428/: accessed November 13, 2019)
- Berclair Mansion: Berclair, Texas. December 21, 2006. www.beeville.net/BerclairMansion/
- Mcleod, Gerald. "The Berclair Mansion offers haunted tours". austinchronicle.com. The Austin Chronicle.