OUR STORY

Take a step back into Abilene History.

The Swenson House was built in 1910 by the Swenson family and is a designated Abilene landmark. The Swenson House Historical Society is proud to preserve this lovely home and share its rich history with visitors from around the world.

The Society works to protect and maintain the house and its contents, while making the Swenson House accessible to schools, universities, civic groups, and individuals. We support education, community events, partnerships with civic organizations, docent-guided tours, volunteer opportunities, rentals, and special events. Throughout the year, we host many activities on the property, including Haunted Abilene, Christmas parties, Chocolate Fest, Murder Mystery Dinners, Kaffe Fest, and other private events.

We invite you to join us in supporting the Swenson House and helping to keep it a vibrant cornerstone of the City of Abilene for many years to come.

W.G. and Shirley Swenson

William Gray & Shirley Swenson met as students at Southwestern University. They married & settled in Abilene, where he had grown up. Swenson was a first generation Swedish-American, & he was a lifelong entrepreneur & businessman in Abilene. His father Swante Johan, who died early, was a nephew of S.M. Swenson, who was the first Swedish person to come to Texas & was Secretary of State under Sam Houston.