The Fulton House in Rockport is South Texas History

Perched upon the Oakhurst Estate, looking out with authority over Aransas Bay sits the majestic Fulton Mansion. Its incredible Victorian construction catches your eye by even today's standards, in the 1800's this home of George and Harriet Fulton was luxurious and well ahead of its time.

George Fulton was an accomplished engineer and inventor. When he and his wife Harriet Smith Fulton moved to the Texas Gulf Coast, he added ranching entrepreneur to his list of talents. The Fulton Mansion was built in 1877 to celebrate George Ware and Harriet Smith Fulton's success in the shipping of cattle tallow and hides between Rockport and New Orleans.

The land that the Fulton Mansion is built on was originally called Oakhurst, named for the hundreds of live oak trees that surrounded the property on three sides. Fulton Mansion was constructed to withstand hurricane-force winds; the house sits only hundreds of yards from the coastline. It was built in a French Second Empire style and was the only house to have gas lighting, central heat and running water in the area.

Imagine Harriet Fulton, daughter of the powerful Texas Politician, Henry Smith and wife of a successful entrepreneur. Her home was decorated in the highest fashions of the day, with ornate trim work and a beautiful Victorian garden, all that can be enjoyed today.

In 1976 the Fulton Mansion became property of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department after seeing a succession of owners that included a restaurant, a trailer park and a recreation center. In 2008, the Fulton Mansion became the property of the Texas Historical Commission and was officially a Texas Historical Site.

Fulton Mansion can offer visitors a glimpse into the life of an affluent South Texas family in the 1800's. Join one of the Texas Historical Commission employees for a 45-minute tour of this beautiful Victorian home. The mansion is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 3pm and on Sundays from 1 to 3pm. Tours begin on the hour.

Fulton Mansion
317 Fulton Beach Road
Rockport, TX 78382
361-729-0386
visitfultonmansion.com

Nearby Things to Do

Goose Island State Park is bordered by the St. Charles and Aransas Bays. The facilities include campsites with water and electric hook-ups in heavily shaded and grassy areas. The draw to the park is bird watching and access to the water via the two lane boat dock and 1620-foot fishing pier. Across the bay from the park is the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge where endangered whooping cranes winter over. The park is also known for a gigantic live oak tree that is more than 1,000 years old, aptly named, "The Big Tree". The Big Tree won the State Champion Coastal Live Oak in 1969 and is thought to be one of the largest in the United States.

Rockport and Fulton are charming Texas gulf coast towns that offer tranquility and abundant wildlife and other natural resources that have made this area a traveler's destination for more than a century. In addition to the historical significance of Fulton Mansion, Fulton offers fine restaurants, accommodations and recreations in the South Texas Region.