prairies — a hacienda suggestive of the proud ancestral hails of the conquistador.” Working with Adams and Adams was Tiffany Stu-
dios, of New York, hired to design the interior points of the new home. Only 12 years earlier, Tiffany Stu- dios had been contacted by Henrietta King to design the stained glass window for the First Presbyterian Church of Corpus Christi. The Southern Engineering Company of Houston,
Texas was awarded the contract to build the home. Initial cost estimates were $108,000 for the structure
and $17,750 for the interior decorations. Site preparation began in September 1912, with Carl Adams supervis- ing the project. Almost immediately, tensions arose between the
workers of the Southern Engineering Company, under the supervision of A.J. Miller, and Adams. After much arbitration, Carleton Adams replaced his uncle as su- pervisor, though Carl Adams continued to be the archi- tect of record. Once the house was completed, Carleton Adams is usually credited with being the designer. The detached kitchen and dining room, which sur-
vived the fi re, were incorporated into an adjoining ser- vice wing for the new home, as part of the construction.
Completion in 1915 The house was completed in January 1915. The
construction was marked by numerous delays and cost overruns. Final construction costs were approxi- mately $350,000. A contemporary newspaper reported that, “The new magnifi cent concrete residence that now stands upon its [Santa Gertrudis’] ruins is about as complete in every respect as money and art could make it.” The frame of the building was constructed of reinforced concrete, hollow tile, and brick. The house followed the theme of Mrs. King’s reli-
gious upbringing, and Robert Kleberg Sr., was quoted as saying, “It seemed to us that the elements in the early missions, erected under direction of the Spanish friars, fulfi lled the general requirements as for the style.” The design of the main residence followed the
styles of the Alamo, San Francisco de la Espada and San José Missions. “In type, it is a mixture of the castle of ancient times
and the modern mansion… The many guest chambers are each equipped with a private bath, the pure water for the entire building provided by means of an arte- sian well. A private plant generates the electricity for the illumination system. The sanitary arrangement of the residence is perfect. In fact, every detail of design
tscra.org
and construction is along with most modern lines.” The main house was designed around a center
piazza, with the courtyard measuring 30 by 50 feet. Around the exterior of the courtyard is an 11-foot
wide passageway, except at the tower end. The red deco- rative tile found on the foot passage is from the Henry Chapman Mercer’s Moravian Tile Works in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. This manufacturer was founded in 1898 and produced tiles for hundreds of private homes and public buildings. Handmade tiles are still produced at this company, in a manner similar to that developed by the pottery’s founder. The Tiffany stained-glass windows are the cen-
terpiece of the home. With more than 9,000 pieces of glass, the 3 windows are divided into 6 sections each.
Sculpture stands guard Standing guard over the grounds of the main house
is a bronze sculpture of a ferocious French Bullmastiff that was given to Captain Richard King by his good friend and railroad promoter, Uriah Lott, on Septem- ber 1, 1881. An inscription detailing this friendly gift can be
found on the dog’s collar. The mastiff is chained to a bronze post with a sign at the top reading, “Beware the Dog.” The sculpture, fashioned by P. LeCourtier, was
made using the lost wax method. This sculpture has “guarded” the family’s original Santa Gertrudis home, then Mrs. King’s Corpus Christi home and now, the main house.
The towering centerpiece Anyone who has seen the main house will agree
that the tower is the centerpiece of the home. Part of the tower’s appeal is the decorative terra cotta, which can be found on the arched doorways, trim and in- fi lling of the rectangular openings in the masonry of the east and west faces of the tower. There are also similar arched window openings
on the north and south sides of the tower. In addition, there are terra cotta fl ower boxes on the second story of the south side of the house. Though Captain Richard King never set foot in the
main house, his vision continues in the legacy he be- gan more than 160 years before.
Editor’s note: Bob Kinnan is the area manager of the main house/Santa Gertrudis Heritage Society with King Ranch, Inc.
December 2015 The Cattleman 95
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