Saigling House

Rail access to agricultural markets helped spur Plano’s growth in the 1870s, and Celestine Pillot Saigling and Charles Frederick Saigling moved there from Houston in 1881 to pursue business opportunities in Plano and North Texas. C.F. Saigling became an active community and civic leader, establishing the C.F. Saigling Lumber Company, C.F. Saigling Planing Mill, and the Saigling Milling Company, and serving on the Plano city council in 1884-1885, the first Plano school board, and other organizations; Saigling Elementary School was later named in his honor. Celestine Saigling was a longtime member of First Christian Church of Plano. In 1918, she built this Craftsman style, two-story brick residence, designed by the Dallas architecture firm of Lang and Witchell, whose work in early 20th century Texas included high-rise office buildings, schools, department stores, courthouses, residences, and other buildings. Among the first brick veneer houses in Plano, the house has a side-gabled roof and originally featured a full-width L-shaped porch supported by large square columns that was removed sometime between 1935 and 1945 and later reconstructed. Celestine Saigling owned the house until her death in 1932, and her estate sold the property in 1935. Later notable residents included Dr. Oliver T. Mitchell and Fred Miers, a three-term mayor of Plano. Home to several prominent citizens, the Saigling House played a significant role in Plano’s history and exemplifies one of the most popular early 20th century architectural styles.

Plano, Texas · United States