General Land Office

General Land Office Review

The only surviving government building from Austin's first 30 years owes its Gothic style to its German-born and -trained architect, Conrad Stremme. This 2½-story structure of stuccoed stone and brick was opened for business in the spring of 1858 as the first home of the Land Office. Writer O. Henry worked as a draftsman here and used the building as the setting for two of his short stories. In 1989 the legislature approved a $4.5 million renovation project to restore the building to its 1890s appearance. The structure now houses the Capitol Visitors Center and a gift shop, and has space on the second floor for traveling exhibits.