Projects and Initiatives

Governor's Mansion Projects Portfolio

After completing a thorough and sensitive restoration of the Governor's Mansion in the summer of 2012, the State Preservation Board has the responsible for the ongoing preservation and maintenance of the home.

Environmental Certification

The restoration of the Governor’s Mansion preserved the historic home and undertook green initiatives to prepare the house for the future. Due to these efforts, the Mansion recently received a prestigious national certification. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program is a national standard for best sustainable practices in building design and construction. The Mansion received the Gold LEED rating which certifies that the restoration project met a significant number of goals related to site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality and construction processes.

Exterior view of the Governor's mansion with American and Texas flags on two front columns.

Vegetable Garden

The recent Mansion restoration installed a vegetable garden. At various times during its long history, Mansion residents have grown food at the home, including a Victory Garden during World War II. The current garden produces fresh produce and herbs for the first family and their guests. State Preservation Board grounds crew assist the Mansion chef with the care of the garden including composting kitchen waste for the garden. Staff prepare the soil for the garden during each season and also continually weed the beds.

Small square garden on a hill with a low white fence.

Fountain Repair

The Connally Gardens, established by First Lady Nellie Connally (1963-1969), includes several large fountains. The State Preservation Board grounds crew recently upgraded the pumps on the fountains. This work will ensure the fountains run as efficiently as possible.

SPB grounds staff posing with a running fountain in the foreground.

Life Safety

The Mansion restoration installed state of the art security and life safety systems to protect the occupants and the public. The Capitol Fire Marshall regularly inspects the house and conducts on-going testing of the fire detection system througho to ensure it functions properly.

Fire Marshal inspecting red fire suppression pipes in a boiler room.