French Legation
Why it's listed
Built between late 1840 and early 1842 on a twenty-one acre hill in East Austin, this small square wood-frame house served as the French Legation to the Republic of Texas. Alphonse de Saligny, France's chargé d'affaires, had it constructed after first operating from Richard Bullock's hotel. The house originally held four rooms, an attic, a cellar and a porch, and Saligny brought door locks and hinges from France. Its history is linked to the Franco-Texienne bill, a plan for France to lend Texas seven million dollars in exchange for three million acres of land, and to a feud over pigs and corn that contributed to his recall. Later owners added a rear wing around 1880. The State of Texas bought the property in 1945, and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas removed the additions, restored the house and kitchen, and operate it as a museum. It became a Texas historic landmark in 1967.
Significance in brief: It was the home and diplomatic post of France's chargé d'affaires to the Republic of Texas. The nomination ties it to the Franco-Texienne bill, a proposed loan-for-land scheme that would have made Texas nearly a French colony, and to Saligny's feud with neighbor Richard Bullock. It also survives as a restored 19th-century structure.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 69000213, listed November 25, 1969. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 802 San Marcos St., Austin |
|---|---|
| County | Travis County |
| Listed | November 25, 1969 |
| Reference number | 69000213 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Built for Alphonse de Saligny; no architect or builder is named |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition, unoccupied, restored by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas between 1945 and 1954 and maintained by them as a museum open to the public. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 30.26702, -97.73202 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 69000213.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5501826
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.