The Bauer House, the official residence of the Chancellor of The University of Texas System, is located in the West Austin neighborhood of Tarrytown near the heart of the city. Surrounded by three acres of gardens and towering native Texas trees, the traditional Georgian/Federal style house serves as the home for the Chancellor and the Chancellor’s family and as the setting for official occasions that advance the mission and goals of the institution.
Originally, the property was owned by R. B. Cousins, Jr. and stretched from present day Clearview Street to Gilbert Street in an area known as Hill view Oaks. In 1936, Mr. Cousins built a home on the property for his family. After a number of years, the home was sold to Thalbert Thomas and then to J. M. and Gloria Miesch. After Mr. Miesch’s death, Mrs. Miesch married Earl D. Shouse. The property was conveyed to The University of Texas Board of Regents in 1968, with special contributions made by Mr. and Mrs. Shouse and Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Bauer of LaWard, Texas.
The Bauer House is named for former U. T. Regent Bauer and his wife Louise. Mr. Bauer served with distinction as a member of the Board of Regents from 1965 to 1971.
Soon after the U. T. System acquired the house, it was evaluated for modernization purposes and for compliance with building codes required for its use as a public facility. Due to excessive cost projections for renovation, the original house was demolished and a more suitable structure was designed and built in its likeness. The new home included a library addition, larger and more appropriate kitchen facilities, and family quarters on the second floor. The architect was Wolfe Jessen of the Austin architectural firm of Jessen, Jessen, Millhouse, Greeven, Crume, Day, and Newman.
Areas on the ground floor of the main residence, as well as the office, pool house, swimming pool and the garage, serve both the Chancellor’s family and the institutional purposes of the University. The upper floors of the main residence are the private quarters of the family. Some of the bedrooms on the second floor have been used for official guests of the University.
The public rooms of the home are furnished and decorated with items on loan from the antique and art collections of the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center and the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, both at The University of Texas at Austin. The family of the Chancellor occupying the home may elect to use personal furnishings in the family quarters, or a combination of personal and University pieces.
Bauer House has been the home of five Chancellors and their families:
Chancellor Charles A. and Joyce LeMaistre (1971–1978)
Chancellor E. Don and Katy Walker (1978–1984)
Chancellor Hans and Dr. Marion Mark (1984–1992)
Chancellor William H. and Dr. Isabella Cunningham (1992–2000)
Chancellor R. D. and Penny Burck (2000–2002)
Chancellor, Mark and Judy Yudof (2002-present)
