French Legation

The French Legation is a historic legation building in east Austin, Texas, built in 1841 to represent the French government in the new Republic of Texas. It is the oldest extant frame structure in Austin. The building and its surroundings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. After Texas declared independence from Mexico in 1836, France was one of two countries (the other being the United States) to officially recognize Texas as an independent state. This was sealed on the September 25, 1839 with the Treaty of Amity, Navigation, and Commerce between the two countries. France subsequently assigned Monsieur Jean Pierre Isidore Alphonse Dubois, a secretary in the French Legation in Washington, to be the new chargé...