Bauer House, the official home of the Chancellor of The University of Texas System, is located in the beautiful Tarrytown neighborhood near the heart of Austin, Texas. Surrounded by three acres of manicured grounds, inviting gardens, and towering native Texas trees, the traditional Georgian/Federal style home represents an understatement of elegance and grace.
Bauer house is named for former UT System Regent W. H. Bauer and his wife, Louise, of LaWard, Texas. Regent Bauer served with distinction on the Board of Regents from 1965 - 1971. The stately home is the site of many official UT System functions enjoyed by public and higher education leaders, donors and supporters, and members of the broader community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of UT System.
The interior of the home is furnished and decorated with items from many priceless antique and art collections of the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center and the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, both at UT Austin. A majority of the antique furnishings and accessories were contributed by Interstate Theaters founder Karl Hoblitzelle and his wife, Ester, and date to the 18th and 19th centuries. The Hoblitzelles were longstanding friends with Chancellor Harry Hunt Ransom, who served as Chancellor from 1961 - 1970, and his wife, Hazel. Plans for the renovation of Bauer House were initiated during the administration of Chancellor Ransom, and the home was first occupied by Chancellor Charles A. LeMaistre and his family in 1971.
Other furnishings, objects d'art, hand-woven oriental rugs, and paintings featured throughout the home are from a variety of UT Austin collections, including the Mrs. E. E. Sheffield Collection, the Cranfill Collection, the Iconography Collection, the T. E. Hanley Collection, the Cora Maude Oneal Collection, the Stark Young Collection, the Alfred and Blanche Knopf Collection, the Leeds Collection, the Frederic Collection, and the J. A. R. Moseley Collection.
The original property, owned by R. B. Cousins, Jr., extended from present day Clearview Street to Gilbert Street in an area known as Hillview Oaks. In 1936, Mr. Cousins built a Georgian/Federal style home for his family on the property. In later years, the home was sold to Thalbert Thomas and then to J. M. and Gloria Miesch. Mrs. Miech, who was widowed, later married Earl E. Shouse, and the couple generously conveyed the property to the U. T. System Board of Regents in 1968.
The home was evaluated for modernization as well as building codes required for its use as a public facility. Due to excessive cost projections for renovations, the original home was demolished and a more suitable structure designed and built in its likeness. The new home included a library addition, larger kitchen facilities, and family quarters on the second floor. The architect was Wolfe Jessen of Jessen, Jessen, Millhouse, Greeven, Crume, Day, and Newman.
The Charmaine and Frank Denius Pavilion opened in the Fall of 2005 and allows the UT
System to further open its doors to the community. The pavilion seats up to 60 persons and is used for meetings, workshops, training seminars,
and dinners. Built with a generous gift from the Denius family, the pavilion is located behind the main house, overlooking the beautifully
manicured grounds.
Bauer House has been the home of six 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. Burck and Penny Burck
2000 - 2002
Chancellor Mark G. and Judy Yudof
2002- present
