Victoria
Texas

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Published in Real Estate

Progressive Preservation

golden crescent region, greek revival, national register of historic places, nave museum, o’connor gallery, real estate, texas historic landmarks, victoria, victoria chamber of commerce, victoria regional museum association,

With more than 100 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and enough homes and businesses saved from the wrecking ball to inspire museums, walking tours and more, Victoria’s past is very much its vibrant, colorful present – and its future.

As more homes within the city’s downtown area are renovated, either as private residences or for business purposes, Victoria’s historic center seems secure. And as the neighborhoods grow in diversity, they are fast becoming a draw not only for tourists but also for new dwellers. That certainly was the case for Karen Gibson, a Houston transplant and home-restoration aficionado who owns two Victoria properties – so far.

“I taught restoration, architectural history and interior design courses,” says Gibson, who owns and operates Gibson Design Inc. “Historical buildings are very important because they’re where we came from. They infuse so much flavor and character into a neighborhood.”

Having moved to Victoria following her marriage, Gibson quickly found herself in an older home near the city center. When she decided to open her business, she knew she wouldn’t have to look far.

“I leased a studio in a home across from mine, then bought a home two blocks up that had sat on the market for a while,” she says. “It had a lot of potential. And now I am seeing people revitalizing homes for residential and for business all around here; we’re all trying, and we’re starting to see people being pulled back into downtown. We have a thriving retail business district here, and the nightlife is nothing like anywhere else in town.”

Some of the larger commercial buildings are being looked at for loft and apartment spaces in combination with retail storefronts, which will further enhance the area. It’ll also add destinations for the tours put on by Victoria Preservation Inc., which has been a one-stop source about Victoria’s history since 1980. The organization gives walking and driving tours of the various historic pockets in town, in addition to offering guidance on restoration and keeping archives that include district court records, maps and photographs.

“We give a lot of advice,” says Gary Dunnam, executive director of VPI. “We encourage people who are restoring to be sensitive to the original and to be sensitive to their neighbors.”

In addition to its consulting work, VPI also does a brisk business with its walking and driving tour guide, which it sells through the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and other local outlets. The guide includes thumbnail sketches of historic buildings and homes, as well as further histories and illustrations when available. The organization also puts on a six-home historic tour, with its own printed guide, each April.

For more year-round access to history, stop by the McNamara House, an 1876 Greek Revival home-turned-museum with spots on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Texas Historic Landmarks list. The structure houses the Victoria Regional Museum Association, which also includes the Nave Museum, a gallery located just a few blocks away.

“The Nave is the only fine arts museum in the Golden Crescent region, and the McNamara is the only historic house museum in Victoria,” says Denise Roussel, executive director of the association. “We’ve got the area’s cultural history through the McNamara House, and we try to tie into that with the art exhibits we have here and at the Nave”.

The association, which operates the O’Connor Gallery within the McNamara House, is affiliated with the Museum of the Coastal Bend at The Victoria College and the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Golden Crescent.

“We have a real melding of art and history with our facilities,” Roussel says. “People can come here and experience history through our venues and also experience the art, so it’s a really neat blend of offerings.”