A Peek Into the Past of the Commodore Perry Estate

The setting for this month’s fashion shoot, circa 1928

1928 marks the year “Commodore” Edgar Perry and his wife, Lutie, moved into their new 10,800-square-foot Mediterranean Revival-style mansion. Designed by renowned Texas architect Henry Bowers Thomson, the mansion was set on nearly 10 acres of lush grounds along Waller Creek in what was then Austin’s northern edge. Having made his fortune as a cotton broker in Europe before World War I, Perry brought his Dallas-born bride to Austin and built the estate with the stated intention of making Austin “a nicer place to live.”

In 2001 the estate was entered on the National Register of Historic Places. Over the years, it has served as home to at least seven private schools and hosted countless civic and social events. The estate, now ownedby Auberge Resorts Collection, is currently being reenvisioned as an intimate urban oasis, with a commitment to staying true to the property’s heritage as one of Austin’s architectural landmarks.

Images courtesy of The Commodore Perry Estate

_{Read more from the Spring Style Issue | April 2018}