What stories could these bricks tell? We are standing before the Ireland and Mary Graves House Plaque. It marks a home with an interesting history. This plaque commemorates the Ireland and Mary Graves House. It is located at 2 Green Lanes in Austin.
In the 1930s, Ireland Graves bought this property. Ireland Graves was an attorney and former district judge. He purchased the land from Josephine Lucile Fisher in Pemberton Heights. Graves then hired a well-known Austin architect. That architect was Hugo F. Kuehne. He was commissioned to design a home for Ireland and Mary Graves. Mary’s maiden name was Stedman.
Construction began in 1937. It finished the next year in 1938. The house is a two-story Southern Colonial style. Notice the entry portico. The bricks are from “Old Main” at the University of Texas. “Old Main” was a beloved building on the UT campus.
The two-car garage shows how important cars were becoming. In 1946, Judge Graves and his son-in-law started a law firm. It was called Graves Dougherty Law Firm. The house remained in the Graves family until 1972.
The Texas Historical Commission recognized the house. They placed this marker here in 2013. This Ireland and Mary Graves House Plaque is a Texas Historic Landmark. It reminds us of the people who lived here. It also highlights the architectural style of the house. The Ireland and Mary Graves House stands as a reminder of Austin’s past. It connects us to the Graves family. It also connects us to the history of Pemberton Heights.