Robert Lewis Dabney House
801 North Craig Street

Robert L. Dabney entered Victoria’s history at the very end of his life. During the winter of 1895–1896, Mr. and Mrs. Dabney moved here to be near their son, Samuel B. Dabney, a lawyer and mayor. At that time, Samuel owned the historic Alexander H. Phillips House, just across the street to the south from where the Robert Dabney House was built.

 

On February 10, 1897, Margaret L. Dabney purchased the land for $400 and construction began on the house. It was built of cypress, and featured a generous wrap-around porch on the south and east sides. The following year, January 3, 1898, Robert L. Dabney passed away in the home he had just built.
 

Dr. Oscar S. McMullen purchased the property at 801 North Craig Street on March 21, 1922, for $4,000. A large barn stood on the west end of the property when the McMullen's purchased the place. In this barn Dr. McMullen kept his horse, a palomino named Roger. The southern part of the front porch served as a sleeping porch for the children. It was screened in and had blinds which reached to the floor. Eventually, the sleeping porch was enclosed, and an interesting set of “ship’s windows” were installed. The windows
disappeared downward into the wall when opened, and a lot of odds and ends that the children would drop into the opening accumulated in the windows. Eventually these ceased to function and more traditional windows were installed.

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You can learn more about this home and the families that have lived here in Volume I of Historic Homes of Victoria, available here online through our SHOP or at the Victoria Preservation, Inc. office.