Sited along a ridge overlooking downtown Austin, the Mary Perry Taylor House is a large and handsome house and a good example of Queen Anne style. Smith, ran the Austin Female Collegiate Institute nearby. The Taylor home and a very similar one next door built for Mrs.
Taylor's mother, Lucy Smith Perry, were likely designed and constructed by Master Builder George Fiegel, who designed similar homes for members of the Bremond and Robinson families. Howard Taylor was a photographer and later a distributor for Racine Tires; however, the marriage was not successful and after the divorce Mary Taylor retained the home, which had been her separate property since its construction. When she died in , the property was inherited by her son, Howard, Jr. Professor Mary Perry Taylor was a noted artist, art historian and educator, and her home retained its historic character to a remarkable degree.
Many furnishings remained in the same position as in s photographs and she was very proud of her family home. She was presented a preservation award from the Heritage Society of Austin in When she died in , the contents were dispersed and the property sold by her heirs. The house was acquired by Nicole and Tyson Tuttle, who had earlier restored a house in the historic Hyde Park neighborhood. Although it retained a high degree of design integrity, the house had deteriorated over its year lifespan.
With the guidance of architect Mell Lawrence, designed Fern Santini and contractor Joe Minnelli, the systems of the house have been updated to 21st century standards. This stately Edwardian home has found new life in its second century. The owners have been sensitive to the fine line between historic and modern — and it shows. The historic district named for the establishment of the City's first streetcar line, which ran along what is now West 6th Street.
Much of the second wave of development during the period of significance for Castle Hill occurred as a result of the availability of this transportation for working class families and individuals. The district is primarily residential. Queen Anne and Classical Revival styles dominate the earliest buildings constructed during the end of the 19th Century, some of which were large family mansions. Smaller buildings built after the turn of the century tend to be bungalows and Classical Revival style homes.
