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Pershing House

This article is about a commanding military officer's house in San Antonio, Texas. For the commanding military officer's house in El Paso, Texas, see Pershing House (Fort Bliss).

Pershing House
Pershing House, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas
Pershing House
Fort Sam Houston
Pershing House is located in Texas
Pershing House
Pershing House
Pershing House is located in the United States
Pershing House
Pershing House
LocationStaff Post Rd., Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas
 United States
Coordinates29°26′42″N 98°28′10″W / 29.44500°N 98.46944°W / 29.44500; -98.46944
Area10,830 square feet (1,000 m2)
Built1881
ArchitectAlfred Giles
Architectural styleEarly Texas Victorian
Part ofFort Sam Houston (ID75001950)
NRHP reference No.74002058
Added to NRHP30 July 1974

Pershing House has been the residence of the commanding officers of Fort Sam Houston since 1881. Located in Bexar County, San Antonio, Texas, the military post is currently part of Joint Base San Antonio.[1] The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings on 30 July 1974. After the Texas annexation to the Union in 1845, the United States Army became a steady presence in what was then designated the Department of Texas,[2] providing a line of defense during both the 1846–1848 Mexican–American War, and the Texas–Indian wars that ended with the 1875 surrender of Comanche chief Quanah Parker at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.[3][4] The combining of Fort Sam Houston, Randolph Air Force Base, Lackland Air Force Base and Martindale Army Airfield, to create Joint Base San Antonio, took place in 2009.[5]

Following the end of the American Civil War, the United States Department of War accepted an offer from San Antonio for three parcels of land on which the United States Army would construct Fort Sam Houston. The site and its surrounding area would come to be known as Government Hill.[3] Edward Braden Construction began work on the project in 1876. Architect Alfred Giles designed the general staff quarters, as well as the commanding general's quarters, now known at Pershing House.[3] Constructed in 1881 at a cost of $17,076 (equivalent to $457,000 in 2020), it was originally designated as "Quarters No. 6, Staff Post".[6] The 10,830 square feet (1,000 m2), two-story house has eleven rooms, six full bathrooms and one half bath.[FN 1] In various phases during the 20th century, improvements included an enclosed porch and upgrades to plumbing, electricity and air conditioning.[8]

While under its original name, the house would become the residence of 16 succeeding commanding officers. They were some of the most accomplished leaders in the United States Army prior to their being given charge of the base. The first occupant of the house was Major General Christopher C. Augur, a West Point graduate and veteran of several military conflicts, including the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War.[9][10] Numerous Medal of Honor recipients have resided there.[11]

The house has been referred to by its current name since John J. Pershing served as the base commanding officer in 1917, following his participation in the Pancho Villa Expedition.[12] He was at Fort Sam Houston only two months before being given charge of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe.[13] Pershing held the rank of General of the Armies. The only other American to hold that rank was George Washington.[13] The names of all the occupants from 1881 through 1973 appear on two brass-plated plaques that were initially created in the 1950s by Julia Cotton White, wife of General Isaac D. White, who was then serving as commanding officer. She presented them as a gift to Fort Sam Houston, and they were kept up to date by succeeding residents at least through 1973 when the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[6]

  1. ^ "Joint Base San Antonio > Information > JBSA History & Fact Sheets". The Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Records of United States Army Continental Commands, 1821–1920". National Archives. 15 August 2016. Archived from the original on 19 September 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Manguso, John. "Fort Sam Houston". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  4. ^ "The Red River War | TSLAC". Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Archived from the original on 25 November 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  5. ^ "History of 502d Air Base Wing". Joint Base San Antonio. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  6. ^ a b NRHP 1974, p. 1.
  7. ^ "Definition of HALF BATH". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  8. ^ NRHP 1974, p. 2.
  9. ^ NRHP 1974, p. 6.
  10. ^ "Augur, Christopher Columbus". Handbook of Texas Online. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  11. ^ NRHP 1974, pp. 6–7.
  12. ^ NRHP 1974, p. 4.
  13. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference PTSH was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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