Katie Heim, 45, is a seventh-generation Texan with a soft spot for the Victorian era. In 2020, she found the home of her dreams: A more than century-old mansion built in the historic city of Gonzales, Texas.
The eight-bedroom and six-and-a-half-bathroom home was built in 1913 by Emily James "Jimmie" Lea Boothe, the wife of Joseph Henry Boothe, a former mayor of Gonzales. It was designed by Atlee B. Ayres, the famed architect that revolutionized architecture in San Antonio.
"My wife showed me the listing and I thought, 'Oh my god, how amazing,' Heim told Insider. "I was a history major in college, so the house really spoke to me — this place really felt like Texas history."
The couple bought the home for $430,000 but it turned out to be a nearly million-dollar venture — they spent about $500,000 restoring it to its full glory. Aside from replacing its roof, they've done gut renovations in the bathrooms and the kitchen. Heim has also purchased hundreds of dollars worth of quirky art and furniture to complete an eclectic, maximalist look.
She and her wife have documented the home's progression at length on their website and Instagram. See how the couple gave The Boothe House a new life.
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