A farmer from Illinois, George H. Talmadge (1840-1911) served in the Union Army during the Civil War. In 1888 he moved to San Marcos with his wife Lydia (1851-1900) and their children, including an adopted daughter orphaned by the Chicago fire. Talmadge, who was also a carpenter, built this Victorian house of cypress wood in 1889. Active in church and community affairs, Talmadge family members occupied this home for 86 years. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1978