A San Antonio mansion constructed by the Alamo Cenotaph's builder is for sale

An Alamo Heights fixer-upper once owned by socialite Margaret Whisenant Saunders Block has hit the market for $1.8 million, property records show.

Built in 1922 by Adams & Adams — the firm that constructed the Alamo Cenotaph and Thomas Jefferson High School — the 5,600-square-foot mansion features a recessed — though not functional — fountain in its sun room, tile floors throughout, multiple fireplaces and ornate wood paneling in the upstairs sitting room.

Dubbed the “Lewis House" after original owners Frank and Louise Lewis, the property is considered a Centennial Home — one of the original batch of dwellings constructed in Alamo Heights.

Far removed from those glory days, the residence has been vacant for over a decade, and it “needs everything,” according to the listing agent Phyllis Browning. The kitchen isn't original to the 1922 construction but much of the house is, requiring a total reno throughout.

The elaborate estate has seen plenty of well-known residents come and go over the years.

In 1939, the property sold to V.W. Lackey and Celestine Zilker, niece to Andrew Zilker, a prominent Austinite and namesake for that city's Zilker Park. In 1959, the couple sold the home to Margaret Saunders, Celestine Zilker's daughter from a previous marriage.

Longtime owner Block was a duchess in the Order of the Alamo’s coronation in 1939, and shortly after married future Air Force Brig. Gen. Donald Ward Saunders. After her husband died in a plane accident, "Maggie," as she was known to friends, became a fixture in Alamo City society circles. At various times, she served as president of the Symphony League, Arts Council, McNay Art Museum and other organizations. She was also a founder and lifetime board member of the Southwest School of Art.

After Block's 2012 death, the Lewis House was deeded to her son, who kept the property vacant until selling it in 2023, according to Browning.

This home is listed by Phyllis Browning with Phyllis Browning Co.

All photos and listing info via Realtor.com.