Southgate-Lewis House
historic place
The Southgate-Lewis House, a historic place in Austin, Travis County, was built in 1888. Robert C. Lambie constructed this High Victorian house for local bookbinder and printer John Southgate and his family. The structure features a bay window, second-floor bands of shingles, and distinctive window surrounds. In 1913, businessman Charles Lewis purchased the home. During the Lewis family's ownership, his daughter operated a neighborhood ice cream shop and a one-room school on the property. The house remained with the Lewis family until 1979. In 1988, the Texas Historical Commission erected a marker, designating it a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. The Southgate-Lewis House is also a City of Austin landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Since 1986, the W. H. Passon Historical Society has owned the house, preserving African American history. It stands as a significant site within Austin's African American Cultural Heritage District.