Neill-Cochran House
Why it's listed
Built in 1853 of native limestone at 2310 San Gabriel in Austin, this two-story Greek Revival house was designed and built by Abner Cook for George Washington Hill. Rough limestone rubble contrasts with smooth painted wooden detail, including an inset five-bay front gallery with fluted Doric columns, a wide entablature, double glazed doors with sidelights and tall transoms, and a small balcony with Cook's crow's foot balustrade. The house is valued as one of the surviving Austin houses by Cook. During the Civil War it served as a hospital for wounded Union soldiers captured by Confederate forces. Afterward it housed one of the first state asylums for the blind and briefly sheltered Governor Hamilton's family in the early 1870s. Its name comes from later owners Andrew Neill, a lawyer and Texas Revolution volunteer who bought it in 1875, and Judge T.B. Cochran, who bought it in 1892. The Colonial Dames acquired it in 1958, and it is now a restored museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as one of the remaining Greek Revival houses in Austin built by Abner Cook. It also has Civil War associations as a hospital for captured Union soldiers, and later served as a state asylum for the blind and a temporary home for Governor Hamilton. It takes its name from later owners Andrew Neill and Judge T.B. Cochran.
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 70000768, listed August 25, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2310 San Gabriel St., Austin |
|---|---|
| County | Travis County |
| Listed | August 25, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000768 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1853) |
| Architect / builder | Abner Cook, master builder |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition, unaltered, on its original site; restored and maintained as a museum. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 30.28748, -97.74829 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 70000768.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6989547
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.