The details
Round Rock's Historic Preservation Commission approved an application Dec. 12 to relocate the Palm House from 212 E. Main St. to the Old Settlers Association property near Dell Diamond at 3300 E. Palm Valley Blvd.
The association boasts a mission of “gathering fragments of history to perpetuate them for future generations,” according to the website.
The grounds are open to the public daily.
The Main Street site of the Palm house will become a walkway that will connect Prete Plaza and the courtyard of the Round Rock Public Library, according to a city announcement. The project correlates with renovations to the Griffith building—the former library location—which will home a visitor center, the Round Rock Chamber, and an art and culture gallery.
Relocation efforts will take place overnight to avoid traffic congestion.
The backstory
The original two-room house was built in 1873 on Palm Farm, which is now the Old Settlers Association property.
The Palm family donated the home to the Round Rock Chamber and the house was relocated downtown in 1976, serving as a Palm Museum and space for chamber operations, according to the city.
As the Palm House is considered a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, recent plans for moving the building had to be approved by the Texas Historical Commission.
While the state commission traditionally discourages the relocation of historic structures, it has made an exception in this case, noting the home—having been moved before—is set to return to its original property and will retain its historic designation, according to a city news release.
More history on the Palm House can be found on the historical marker database.
