Escapees September-October 2022

skp stops

Exploring Historic Je ff erson, Texas 305 East Austin Street, Je ff erson, Texas 75657, United States, 903-665-3733, visitje ff ersontexas.com

this opulence for more than the one-hour tour offered Monday through Saturday at 11:00 a.m. “Jefferson was the largest inland port in Texas at the time,” says tour guide Shirley Reiman. “The grand mansions were owned by successful businessmen.” Shirley tells the tour group that soon after settling the area in the late 1830s, pioneers began to remove obstructions from Big Cypress Bayou so that steam boats would be able to navigate from the Mississippi River into the Red River and through Caddo Lake and the bayou to Jefferson, making the town the second-largest port behind Galveston. As we walk from room to room admiring the antique furnishings, much of it original to the home, she tells of the family history and weaves in facts about Jefferson. By 1845, steamboats were regularly reaching Jeffer son, some with as many as 130 passengers on board. During the peak period of the 1870s, packet steamers on their return trip to New Orleans carried upwards of 425 tons of goods or about 1,800 bales of cotton each. It wasn’t unusual for 250 paddle boats to make this journey every year. For more than 30 years, Jefferson’s

I am touring the House of the Seasons in Je ff erson, Texas. This grand mansion was constructed in 1872 for the lawyer, political leader, businessman and con fi dante of Sam Houston, Colonel Benjamin H. Epperson. B uilt during the transitional period between the Greek Revival and Victorian styles of architec ture, one of its many notable features is the cupola. Each wall contains a different colored stained glass that creates the illusion of the seasons of the year. The house isn’t alone in its grandeur. There are other impressive mansions along the wide tree-lined streets of this quiet little city. The houses offer a hint of the community’s glory days and fascinating history. The main fl oor tour includes the parlor, master bedroom and dining room. We are invited to the second fl oor where there are more bedrooms richly appointed and beautifully decorated. The House of the Seasons is also a bed and breakfast, a way for guests to enjoy

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ESCAPEES Magazine September/October 2022