Cranfill, Thomas, House
historic place
The Thomas Cranfill House is a historic place in Austin, Travis County, Texas. Completed in 1955, it was commissioned by University of Texas English Professor and art collector Thomas Cranfill. The house was designed by Harwell Hamilton Harris, a nationally recognized architect who served as the first Director of the University of Texas School of Architecture from 1951 to 1955. Located at the end of Cliff Street, on a steeply sloping site overlooking the Shoal Creek Basin, its design reflects mid-20th century modernism. Specifically, it showcases Harris's California Modern style, reinterpreted for the Texas climate, featuring a wood frame structure with vertical board and batten natural finish cypress siding. The Thomas Cranfill House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. It is locally significant as one of the few projects Harris completed in Austin during his tenure, demonstrating his distinctive architectural approach.