Berclair Mansion

Location(s):

25 N. Kendall St. Goliad, TX 77963 - 361-358-3857

Step back in time with a tour of pristinely preserved antiques and uniquely adorned living spaces at the Berclair Mansion! Located about 45 minutes southwest of Victoria, this grand structure was built in 1936 by ranching empire heiress Etta Wilkinson Terrell for herself and her four sisters. Wanting to avoid a similar traumatic experience she had as a child, she demanded of architects that the entire structure be fireproof. Structural engineer Worth-Cottingham of Corpus Christi used 60 tons of cement and steel to build what the current owners believe was, at the time, the largest steel-strand home in the United States. Etta’s started collecting antiques to furnish its 10 bedrooms, five baths, two grand halls that stretched the length of the house, and more spaces. A number of them were even from 16th-and 17th-Century European castles. In 1975, after the last of the five sisters passed away, the entire structure was boarded up with all of the valuable antiques remaining inside. The mansion sat dormant for 27 years, until it was gifted to the non-profit Beeville Art Association. Today, docent-guided tours are available on the last Sunday of every month. Unlike many historic homes, the Berclair Mansion rooms are not roped off and visitors are encouraged to walk through the rooms. Tours are $10 per person, and start promptly at 1PM and 2:30PM. No pictures are allowed inside of the mansion, along with of course no touching of the home's furnishings. Come for yourself and see a true vision of South Texas elegance at the Berclair Mansion!

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