Last updated: 12/16/2016
113 E Dumble StAlvin, TX 77511
The Marguerite Rogers House Museum is owned and operated by the Alvin Museum Society. The 1909 Victorian style house is located at 113 East Dumble, Alvin, Texas.
The cottage was crafted over an eight year period by a Civil War veteran to show his skills in Victorian construction, with gingerbread, two turrets, massive pocket doors and a bow knot fence. It even has a combination outhouse and library.
John G. Slover moved to Velasco, Brazoria County, Texas in 1884. When the 1900 gulf hurricane swept across Galveston Island and the Gulf Coast, his home was destroyed. Mr. Slover salvaged some of the building materials and moved to Alvin, to what is known as 113 East Dumble Street. Most of the materials used to build the house were from the Oscar Cummings house, which was destroyed during the 1900 hurricane and was located at the corner of Beauregard and Adoue streets in Alvin. The Dumble Street location was chosen by John G. Slover, as there were plans at that time to build a college just south of this location.
The house is Victorian Queen Anne architecture. First, he built the main part of the house, consisting of three rooms, and in following years added side rooms with cupolas and fancy trim. The last room added was a sunroom completed prior to 1909. The home has 7 rooms and bath, ten and one-half foot ceilings, and 2 three paneled sliding doors. The siding on the house is cypress. Mr. Slover had a workshop where he did his carpenter work with hand tools. After completing the home, he added a hand made, white “bow knot” fence. Mr. Slover spoke of his home as his “Chinese Castle.”
The Slover home was a showplace. The yard had satsuma orange trees, kumquats, fig and other fruit trees to show what could be grown in Alvin. Mr. and Mrs. Slover lived in the home until his death July 15, 1923. His wife continued to live there and later married Moses J. Bass. When Mr. Bass owned the home, he planted pink crepe myrtle trees along the property line and along the driveway which is now Dumble Street. Then he appropriately named the place “The Myrtles.” In June 1938, James A. and Marguerite A. Rogers bought the property from Mr. Bass. During the following several years, the place was reroofed, all public utilities put in and repapered and painted. The Rogers' daughter, Emaline Rogers Longnecker bequeathed the property to the Alvin Museum Society in 1995. The Society restored the home and named it Marguerite Rogers House Museum, in honor of Emaline's mother.
Docents conduct tours of the house and grounds and give commentary on the antique furnishings in the house. Tours are by appointment only. Special arrangements are available for groups.
The Garden Tour is an annual event to raise maintenance funds for the Marguerite Rogers House Museum. The one day event has been held each spring since 2000. Each year the grounds of the House Museum and three or more public and or private gardens are featured. The event includes a plant sale at the House. Museum Society members donate some of the plants and blooming plants are brought in from nearby nurseries.
Group Tours
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