McFarland-McBee House

The McFarland-McBee House will be Preservation Austin’s permanent home and the first office we have owned and occupied since 1978. It represents the power of grassroots advocacy and is a model rehabilitation project from which others can learn.

We led the fight to save this beloved landmark in 2014 and purchased it in 2019. Once rehabilitation is complete, it will be home to Preservation Austin's office and a community-focused hub for preserving Austin's heritage and supporting preservation advocacy.

Built in 1947, this rare local example of the Streamline Moderne style embodies the history of postwar Austin. The McFarlands, a middle-class family, designed this unusual home themselves. In 1962 it became rental housing for students, servicemen, and musicians.

Preservation Austin’s McFarland-McBee House project is supported by more than $350,000 in grant funding, including support from the City of Austin Heritage Preservation Grant Program, The Summerlee Foundation, the Still Water Foundation, Texas Preservation Trust Fund, and the Texas Historical Foundation, along with state historic tax credits.

The McFarland-McBee House is a City of Austin Landmark and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.