Sanders House, Beaumont, Texas
historic place
The Sanders House, a historic place in Beaumont, Texas, stands in Jefferson County. This Queen Anne style house was built in 1895. Contractor James Wellman constructed the two-story home for Robert Washington Sanders and his wife, Ida Mae. Robert Washington Sanders, born in Tennessee in 1850, was a master woodcarver. He arrived in Beaumont in 1878, drawn by the lumber industry. Sanders worked in local mills before establishing his own cabinet-making business in 1902. He was known for his craftsmanship, designing stairs for the Tyrrell Public Library and serving as a city alderman. Sanders himself completed the finishing work on the house, using native woods like cypress, curly pine, and cedar. He carved the exterior ornamentation, the front door, and the interior spiral staircase. The Sanders House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1982. It was saved from demolition by the Beaumont Heritage Society and later restored by Alan and Barbara McNeill. This house remains a reminder of a Beaumont pioneer and his craftsmanship.