The Governor's Mansion, a block west of the State Capitol, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited executive residences in the United States, home to every Texas governor since 1856. The Greek Revival building was designed by Abner Cook, the same architect responsible for much of Austin's antebellum residential architecture, and its six Ionic columns and formal proportions reflect a specific moment in Texas's aspirations to look like a proper American state.
Tours of the mansion's ground floor are available on weekday mornings; advance registration is required and security screening applies. The interior rooms contain original and period furnishings, portraits of former governors, and interpretive displays on the mansion's history. The front lawn and facade are visible from the street year-round.