PLACES TO SEE IN COLUMBUS Call the Columbus Chamber of Commerce for more information at (979) 732-8385.
Tate-SenftenbergBrandon House
Dilue Rose Harris House
Ira and Dilue Rose Harris built the house in 1858. It is of concrete construction and boasts a basement that originally had a dirt floor. Dilue participated in the “Runaway Scrape” at the end of the Texas Revolution and wrote her “reminiscences.”
Ehrenwerth Building
The home was constructed in 1867 by local businessman Phocion Tate. The house was sold in 1887 to Adolph Senftenberg, a local merchant who added the second floor and Eastlake style porches. Kenneth Brandon purchased the home in 1900 and added modern amenities to the property. The house operated as a historic house museum from the late 1960s to 2006. The home is the birthplace of J. Waddy Tate, former Mayor of Dallas.
This is the dominant building on the west side of Milam Street. The 1873 two-story commercial structure was built of bricks from a local kiln in Italianate style.
Brunson Building Charles Brunson built this building in 1891 and used it as a saloon until about 1919. He built the adjacent building in 1896. It retains much of the original Victorian styling. It now houses the Live Oak Art Center and the Courtyard Wine Bar.
Stafford Opera House
Robert Stafford built the Second Empire-style Stafford Opera House in 1886. Originally, it housed the Stafford Bank downstairs and a flat-floored opera house upstairs. The white two-story house next door was the house Bob Stafford built for his family.
Santa Claus Museum
The Carriage Step
Built in the 1860s of cypress wood on land owned by Robert Robson, this charming house is now a tea room, bed and breakfast, and is open for lunch once a month. Contact the owners to make your reservations.
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Townsend-West House
This house was built by Marcus and Annie Townsend in 1890 and is Victorian in style with Eastlake embellishments. Townsend was a state representative and senator and sponsored the bill to buy the Alamo. Thurmond and Erma West bought the house in 1906.
As seen on The Texas Bucket List, this museum showcases the vast collections of families who’ve lived in Columbus for many generations. This is the only Santa Claus museum in the South, and with nearly 3,000 Santas decking the halls, this museum is a Christmas lover’s dream come true.
Visitor’s Guide 2020