Historic Landmark
Alley-McKay House
Built in 1851 by Daniel Alley — the founder of Jefferson. His residence until his death in 1868. A foundational piece of the town's origin story.
Visit details
- Address
- 306 E. Delta St, Jefferson, TX 75657 · Open in Google Maps
Hours and details can change. Confirm with the business before you visit.
Historic designations
- Built: 1851
Tags
- landmark
- historic home
- 1851
- founders
More History & heritage in Jefferson
- Oakwood CemeteryHistoric burial ground with elaborate 19th-century architectural monuments — a quiet, surprisingly beautiful stop for history and photography enthusiasts.
- Excelsior House HotelHistoric hotel in continuous operation since the 1850s — built by Captain William Perry, who brought the first steamboat to Jefferson in 1844. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP #69000208) and a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Operated by the Jessie Allen Wise Garden Club since 1961. One of Texas's oldest operating hotels and a primary anchor of the Jefferson Historic District.
- The Atalanta — Jay Gould's Railroad CarPrivate railroad car of Jay Gould (c.1882), the American railroad tycoon and industrialist. Contains original fixtures. Lore has it that Gould's request for a rail line through Jefferson was refused by local leaders — he wrote in the hotel guest book that Jefferson would become a 'ghost town,' and the town's decline followed shortly after. Available for tour by appointment at the Excelsior House.
- House of the Seasons (Epperson-McNutt House)Stunning 1872 Italianate mansion built by attorney and large landowner Benjamin Epperson. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP #69000207) and a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Famous for its cupola with colored glass that depicts the changing seasons (spring green, summer clear, fall amber, winter blue). Operates as a luxury B&B and tour home.
- Jefferson Historical Museum (Old U.S. Post Office and Courts Building)Housed in the original 1888 Federal Courthouse and Post Office. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP #69000210) and a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Features Civil War relics, Caddo Indian artifacts, pioneer tools, and an extraordinary HO-scale Texas & Pacific Railway model. A magnolia tree on the grounds was planted from a seedling from the White House lawn tree, brought by Lady Bird Johnson.
- Sterne FountainCast of pure bronze by J.L. Mott Foundry of New York (1912). Features a statue of Hebe, Greek goddess of youth, serving water to animals and people. Given by the children of Jacob and Ernestine Sterne. Now under the care of the Jefferson Historical Foundation.
Stay nearby
Make it an overnight trip with a stay at one of Jefferson's historic B&Bs, inns, or boutique hotels.