Free parking in the back of the house.
11:30 lunch on the patio behind the house
12:00-1:00 Guided Tour in small groups ($5.00)
Come join us for a tour of the historic Neill-Cochran House Museum. Designed and constructed in the Greek Revival style in 1855 by Abner Cook for a young couple, Washington and Mary Hill, that were unable to afford to finish the home. In 1856 the Mansion became the first location of the Texas State Asylum (school) for the Blind, a newly established state-funded boarding school. Ten years later it would serve as a war hospital at the end of the Civil War for soldiers suffering from yellow fever and cholera.
The house was already 20 years old before it welcomed its first owner-occupants, Andrew and Jennie Neill. The Neill’s were wealthy and came to Austin from the far more sophisticated city of Galveston. The Neill’s, through lavish parties, were particularly known for their wine cellar. They entertained all of the prominent politicians of the day. The Thomas Cochran family (himself, wife, 3 children, mother and father in law) first leased then purchased the property in 1895 and for the next 65 years continuously occupied the house over four generations. During this time the home saw births, deaths, weddings, WWI, the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, and WWII.
A $5.00 fee for the tour is due with your registration.
Lunch is available for an additional $9.00. It is a box lunch from Thundercloud Subs that include a sub sandwich, cookies, assorted chips and water. Subs have lettuce/tomato/thundersauce and cheese (provolone or American, random but you can trade or take off if you want), onion and condiments on the side. There will be an assortment of subs to choose from: Turkey, roast beef, ham, and egg salad for vegetarian diet.
For the safety of everyone, only fully vaccinated people should attend this meeting, and wear masks at all times unless eating or drinking. Please stay home if you are feeling unwell or have recently been around someone with COVID.
