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Baylor University.

The material culture of the Polley Mansion, Whitehall : vernacular architecture, decorative arts, and domestic arts.

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The Polley Mansion, with its massive walls, generous proportions, and wide double galleries, is described in Texas Homes of the 19th Century as "one of the most important plantation homes in early Texas." In fact, the Polley Mansion, constructed with native sandstone, is the only stone antebellum plantation house still surviving in Texas. The preservation of the house and the Polley family papers provide a unique record of details about the construction, furnishing, and management of the house. This investigation into the material culture of the Polley Mansion—its vernacular architecture, decorative arts, and domestic arts— draws upon those archives and others to provide a detailed picture of the Polley Whitehall Mansion. Through letters, maps, receipts, photographs, historic records, and newspaper articles we meet the family, and learn how they stake their claim, construct their house, furnish the rooms, keep their house, and make their home.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
M.A.
Level thesis:degree_level
Masters
Grantor
Baylor University.
Year dc:date.issued
2018

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Creech, Melinda, 1952-
Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
  • Hafertepe, Kenneth, 1955-

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
https://hdl.handle.net/2104/10499
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/10499

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Baylor University
Base URL
baylor-ir.tdl.org/server/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Creech, Melinda, 1952-. The material culture of the Polley Mansion, Whitehall : vernacular architecture, decorative arts, and domestic arts.. Masters thesis, Baylor University., 2018. https://hdl.handle.net/2104/10499