Sweet Magnolia Inn

705 N Beatty Ave
Livingston, Texas

Your Chance to Step Back in Time

Originally built in 1887, the home of Dr. William Keenan McCardell and Nancy Douglas McCardell, recently remodeled and refurbished, stands majestically in a small, quiet neighborhood near downtown Livingston, Texas. This home has been a landmark to the town and its forefathers since Dr. McCardell built it. Throughout the years, great efforts have been made to maintain the originality of the home while adding comfort, charm and character. The home is on The National Record of Historic Places.

The home’s structure is quite unique, especially since it was built right after the Civil War when most families were struggling to make ends meet. The house is elongated with a hexagonal front room and a porch that spans all three front sides. The home is aesthetically pleasing with its roof design and columns and its extra wide front steps. It provided an inviting appeal to those who came for medical as well as social calls.

When first seen, the structure resembles that of a steamboat. According to recollections of family members, Dr. McCardell purchased a river boat that traveled along the Trinity River some 20 miles west of Livingston (McCardell’s Landing) and built the home from its cypress boards.

The McCardells constructed their home to accommodate Dr. McCardell’s medical practice as well as provide the comforts of home for the family. The front room was used as a medical office for his patients. This room had its own entrance at the front of the house so patients and family members could enjoy privacy.

During the time when Livingston was just a small, struggling community nestled between the Trinity River and the Alabama Coushatta Indian Tribe in the heart of the Big Thicket, the McCardell Home offered more than just medical care to Livingston and surrounding areas, their home was also one that hosted social events and gatherings. It was a place where neighbors and visitors alike came to enjoy fellowship, community pride and a sense of belonging.

Members of the McCardell family lived in the home from 1887 until 1996 when it was purchased by Beverly Miller, a native from Livingston who knew the McCardell family. She operated the home as McCardell Cottage for several years. Today, it is one of the few homes left standing from the 19th century.