City of Granbury, Texas

Transcription

Historic Landmarks
Landmark No. 1
Baker-Carmichael House
226 East Pearl Street
Historic Landmark #1
Baker-Carmichael House
The Baker-Carmichael House was built in 1905 for Granbury Merchant
and Banker, Jess Baker. This house was later home to Granbury Physician, Dr.
Archibald Carmichael. The original owner and builder of the house, Jess Baker,
in 1875, opened a hardware store in Granbury with his brother. Jess Baker also
partnered with Sam Smith in Baker and Smith Hardware and Baker and Smith
Implement Company; he was also a partner in Baker-Rylee Hardware. Jess
Baker also served as Vice-President of First National Bank and served on the
Bank’s first Board of Directors. Jess Baker also served several terms in the Texas
House of Representatives beginning in 1906. Dr. Archibald Carmichael, one of
Granbury’s most prominent physicians, bought the house in 1925.
This is a particularly superb and well kept example of High Style Queen
Ann/Neoclassical Architecture. The home was built at a cost of approximately
$18,000 with the head carpenter receiving $1.50 a day, and his helper receiving
$1.00 a day. The Baker-Carmichael was one of the first homes in Granbury to
have electricity, indoor plumbing and telephone service. The Carmichael family
did not make many changes to the house over the years, with the exception of
adding bathrooms and a more modernized kitchen.
The Baker-Carmichael House is now owned by David Southern and his
wife, Claudia. Mr. Southern is currently the Mayor of the City of Granbury.
The Baker-Carmichael House was designated a Granbury
Historical Landmark by the City of Granbury Historic
Commission June 1, 1999.
J.D. Brown House
118 West Bluff Street
J.D. Brown House
This House was built in 1907 by R.B. Spencer Lumber Company. This is
an excellent example of a High Style House with Queen Ann stylistic influence.
Jefferson David Brown began his career as a businessman in his Uncle’s
dry goods store and before too long, became a partner. J. D. Brown became sole
proprietor of the business in 1881 and moved it to the Granbury Square. The first
structure he built for the business was a two story building on the south side of
the square; that structure is now the Granbury Opera House. The second
building he erected to house his hardware store was on the west side of the
Square and is now Brazos Moon Antiques. J. D. Brown also served as President
and Director of the City National Bank in Granbury. The City National Bank
was located on the northeast corner of the Square and is now a law office. Mr.
Brown also served at least one term as Mayor of the City of Granbury.
J. D. Brown and his wife, Georgia, had seven children and after his death
in 1907, Georgia and the children lived in the home for many years. J. D. Brown
contributed much to the Granbury area, not only architecturally, but with his
pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit.
The J. D. Brown House was designated a Granbury
Commission June 1, 1999.
Daniel House
107 West Bluff
Daniel House
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This home was built in 1892, and is still in the original family. This is a
High Style House with Queen Ann stylistic influence. The home was
constructed of materials that were typical to the period, the outside walls were
cypress wood held in place with square nails, and the home was placed on stone
piers which were cemented together. The interior of the home was decorated
with materials particular to the area as well, with wallpaper, window and door
moldings, and milled tongue and groove wood paneling in the hallways and
kitchen. The home was built with five bedrooms and has a basement. There was
a small house on the property that was converted to a barn after the Daniel
House was built. There were also two other outbuildings, a chicken house and a
small wash house, both were frame construction on stone foundations. The wash
house is the only outbuilding that remains today. At the turn of the century the
kitchen was updated and the back upstairs bedroom was converted to a
bathroom and storage room. A stairway was added at this time leading from the
kitchen to the upstairs bathroom. A downstairs bathroom was added in the
1920’s. Two of the three original chimneys were removed in the 1930’s to make
way for gas heat, and other than electricity and the bathrooms the house remains
much the same today as it did when it was built.
Hand-woven rugs even still grace the floors of the home along with other
details particular to the era. The home is owned by the grand-daughter of
William B. Daniel, Jane Craddock.
This home is in the Register of Texas Historic Landmarks as well as being
a local landmark.
The Daniel House was designated a Granbury Historical
Landmark by the City of Granbury Historic Commission
September 5, 2000.
Lees-Bryan House
121 West Bluff
Lees-Bryan House
This High Style/Queen Ann influence house was built in 1890. It now
serves as a Bed and Breakfast for visitors and tourists to Granbury. As well as
being a Granbury Landmark it is also in the Register of Texas Historic
Landmarks. This house is two stories with an attic and sits on a pier and beam
foundation.
Canadian merchant J. C. Lees built this home for his wife, Cora Allen Lees
and their young daughter. Mr. Lees came to Granbury in the 1880’s after
meeting Cora in Arizona. Cora was from Granbury, but had gone to Arizona
with her brother, Hiram. Shortly after J. C. and Cora came to Granbury, he
purchased a furniture store/undertaking business from J. D. Foster. The
business was on the Granbury Town Square and Mr. Lees became a prosperous
Granbury merchant. They built the house and lived on the same block as Cora’s
sister, Loucinda Allen and her husband, W. D. Daniel. In 1895, Mr. Lees sold his
business and home in Granbury, purchased another business in Cleburne and
moved his family there. S. L. Bowden purchased the home for $4,000, and
moved his wife and children there. Shortly after moving into the home, S. L.
Bowden’s wife and one son died. S.L. Bowden lived in the house with his
daughter, Maude, until his death in 1903. After his death, Maude married Hardy
Bryan and bought her sister and brothers out of their share of the house.
Sadly, Maude died two short months later, three days after giving birth to
a daughter who also died. Hardy Bryan lived alone in the house for five years,
and in 1914 he married Fannie Gordon. Hardy Bryan lived a happy and
prosperous life in the house until his death October 18, 1945, thirty-six years to
the day after he and Maude purchased the house. The second Mrs. Bryan was the
daughter of another merchant on the Square and her father was the employer of
John Street Helen who claimed to be John Wilkes Booth. The gun he claimed to
have assassinated President Lincoln with ended up in the second Mrs.Bryan’s
possession. Mrs. Bryan moved to Wichita Falls to live with her daughter in 1973
and sold the home. Mrs. Bryan lived in the Lees-Bryan House from 1914-1973;
she was the longest resident of the home to date.
Minimal changes have been made to the Lees-Bryan House: the back side
porch was glassed in to provide an eating area for the family off of the kitchen, a
sun room was added off of the dining room, and two bathrooms were added,
one in the 1920’s and one in 1945. The Lees-Bryan House has since been restored
and is a testament to its and Granbury’s former glory.
The Lees-Bryan House was designated a Granbury
Commission October 3, 2000.
James H. Doyle House
123 West Doyle Street
James H. Doyle House
Built in 1875 for James Doyle, this High Style House with Queen Ann
stylistic influence now serves as The Captain’s Den Bed and Breakfast for visitors
and tourists to Granbury.
The home is one of the few remaining large homes built in Granbury
before 1900 that has not burned and then been rebuilt, has not had the front
façade totally restyled or been moved from its original site. 80% of the windows
and the diamond shaped stained glass window are original to the home. The
only structural changes made to the house have been the addition of a workshop,
office, and parking areas. A few porches and balconies have been enclosed for
the addition of bathrooms, but the overall outline of the home remains the same.
All the materials used in the additions have been complimentary to the era of the
structure, some of them even being recycled off the home.
James Hogan Doyle was a decorated hero in the Civil War and moved to
Granbury in 1870. James H. Doyle was Hood County’s fourth treasurer and
served as chairman on the Granbury School Board. He was also the original
director of the First National Bank of Granbury. He co-owned the Baker-Doyle
Building which is one of the oldest buildings on the Square. James Doyle was a
charter member of the Granbury Masonic Lodge, founded in 1875, and was
instrumental in getting the first bridge built across the Brazos River.
The James H. Doyle House was designated a
Granbury Historical Landmark by the City of Granbury
Historic Commission November 2, 1999.
Bowden-Kennon House
505 West Doyle
Bowden-Kennon House
Built 1908-14, the Bowden-Kennon House is in the Register of Texas
Historic Landmarks as well as being a Granbury landmark. It is a Popular house
in the style of Free Classic. The home is two stories, center passage plan design,
and on a pier and beam foundation. The inset porch is supported by Doric
columns and the windows are inlayed with a decorative diamond pattern. The
four large gables, one at each side of the house, are just one of the home’s many
distinctive features. Many of the windows on this home are original all but the
two front windows have delicate Gothic wood tracery, rather than traditional
panes. The rooms on the first floor still have the original tongue and groove
interlocking pine floors as do the rooms on the second floor along with tall
wooden baseboards.
R. W. Bowden became a Granbury merchant at just fifteen, when he
opened a small candy store. After that, he ran a Confectionary Shop on the town
square with Alfred Peveler. In 1894, R. W. Bowden purchased the Bon Ton
Dining Parlor, which was famous for fresh oysters, fish, ice cream and cold
drinks. In 1901, R. W. Bowden bought the Granbury telephone system and
helped build the first telephone lines going west out of Granbury. R. W. Bowden
owned a drug store on the square, along with Dave Gardner, but they sold after a
year. R. W. Bowden owned the fifth car registered in Granbury, and owned the
Granbury Auto Garage until 1913. Mr. Bowden also owned a department store
on the Square, The Fair, which he also sold in 1913. Mr. Bowden served on the
Official Board of Elders for the Presbyterian Church and also served on the board
of the First Methodist Church for many years.
P. H. Kennon bought the home in September, 1914. While working in a
cotton gin, he lost his right arm in a cotton press, but continued working in the
cotton business for many years. Mr. Kennon ran unsuccessfully for Hood
County Tax Assessor in 1898, but was successful when he ran in 1902. He held
that office from 1902-1912. P. H. Kennon died in 1927, but his widow remained
there until her death in 1951. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kennon are buried in Granbury
Cemetery. Their two daughters, Nell and Lucy, sold the home in 1954 to the
Tittle family.
The Tittle family remained in the house until 1982 making only one major
renovation during those thirty years, a downstairs bathroom. The home then
sold to Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Steward, the current owners, in 1983.
The Bowden-Kennon House was designated a
Historic Commission November 16, 1999.
H. E. Robertson House
422 West Doyle
H. E. Robertson House
The Robertson House was built in 1909; it is a Popular House with Queen
Ann stylistic influence. This house is two stories and also features a basement.
The inset porch is graced with Doric columns on wooden box supports. The
decorative screen door is just one of the many details that make the house
charming and true to the era.
This home was built for H. E. Robertson, his wife Maude and their two
sons, Fred and Obie. From 1908-1913, Mr. Robertson owned Robertson Williams
and Company, a dry goods store on Granbury’s town square. Mr. Robertson was
also an executive officer at Hood County State Bank, in charge of loans on
chattel. The home was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Pate in 1919, and the family
owned the home until 1927. The Robertson House was then purchased by J. M.
Baker, a Methodist minister, and remained in that family until 1939. Joe Enoch, a
local filling station proprietor, purchased the house in 1939 and made the first
major renovations to the structure, including indoor plumbing.
The house went through several more owners and alterations, eventually
reaching a state of disrepair. The current owners, Bill and Fran Hilton, bought
the house in 1996, and with the help of Bill’s father have lovingly restored the
home to its former glory.
The H. E. Robertson House was designated a
Historic Commission September 5, 2000.
Holderness-Aiken House
321 West Bridge Street
Holderness-Aiken House
Built in 1896 by local Master Builder/Carpenter, E. J. Holderness, this
house is just one of many that he designed and constructed in the city of
Granbury.
This Vernacular house, (indigenous to the region), is one and one-half
story and features a two bay, inset porch with turned wood posts, turned wood
balusters, jig-sawn brackets, jig-sawn porch frieze, and turned work frieze.
E. J. Holderness designed and built this house as a family residence. The
Holderness family resided in the house until 1913, when it was sold to A. J.
Gordon. Nothing is known about what happened to the Holderness family after
the sale of the home, as they left Granbury. After Mr. Gordon sold the home, it
changed hands several times until Mrs. Ed Aiken bought the house in 1927. She
purchased the house from her son two years after he purchased it. Mrs. Aiken’s
family name was Rylee, another prominent name in Granbury. The Rylee-Aiken
House, Mrs. Aiken’s family home is regarded as the oldest standing home in
Granbury. After the purchase of the Holderness House, Mrs. Aiken lived there
until her death in 1931. Her daughter, Miss Mattie Aiken inherited the house
and lived there until her death in 1963. Her younger sister then bought their
brothers’ and sisters’ share of the home and moved in the house with her
husband George Bayer.
There have been few changes made to the house since the construction of
the home, a bathroom has been added to the west side of the home. Other than
that, the structure remains basically the same.
The Holderness-Aiken House is listed in the Register of Texas Historic
Landmarks along with listing as a Granbury Landmark.
The Holderness-Aiken House was designated a
Historic Commission October 3, 2000.
Live Oak Tree
305 East Moore Street
“Granbury Cemetery Tree”
This tree was designated a Granbury Historic Tree April 26, 2002 in honor
of Arbor Day. When the tree was landmarked, it was known as the “legendary
hanging tree”, but further research has indicated that no one was hung from the
tree, that the hanging was on scaffolding built in the back of a wagon
Live Oak Tree
801 Lipan Highway
“Granbury College President’s Tree” This tree was designated a Granbury
historic tree April 26, 2002 in honor of Arbor Day. The home in front of which
this tree stands was built in 1873 for the President of Granbury College. This tree
was standing when that home was built. The tree is reportedly over 500 years
old and was landmarked by the Forestry Service to prevent the demolition of the
tree in a proposed project to widen the road.
Cogdell House
616 Thorp Spring Road
Cogdell House
The Cogdell House was built in 1905 for First National Bank President, D.
C. Cogdell and his family after their 22 room Victorian Mansion was completely
destroyed in a fire.
Daniel C. Cogdell, along with his wife and children settled in Granbury in
1872. In 1883, Mr. Cogdell and fellow businessman John Traylor formed their
own private bank and loan company. The venture was so successful that, in
1887, with three other businessmen they founded the First National Bank of
Granbury. Mr. Cogdell served as President of the Hood County Milling
Company, Granbury Quarry Company, and owned thousands of acres of
ranchland, cattle and race horses. He lived in Granbury until his death in 1945
and is buried with his wife, Lucy, and several of their children in the Granbury
Cemetery.
The Cogdell House was designed by Mr. Cogdell’s friend, Wyatt Hedrick.
Wyatt Hedrick was a famous architect, the Will Rogers Coliseum, the Texas
Hotel and the Shamrock Hilton in Houston are just a few of the designs to his
credit. It took three master cabinetmakers to build this fifteen room home.
The home has its original maple wood floors downstairs, along with the
original loblolly yellow pine floors upstairs. The home has most of its original
windows and its original electric lights. The home was built with two bathrooms
and the 6 ½’ clawfoot bathtubs are still in the home. Central Heat from a coal
furnace was part of the original plans for the Cogdell House, and it was piped up
from the limestone basement (part of the original 1885 mansion). The 1885 fence
that surrounds 2/3 of the house is still present, as is the original storm cellar.
The Cogdell House was designated a Granbury Historical
December 5, 2000
E. A. Hannaford House
126 South Lambert
E. A. Hannaford House
The Hannaford House was built 1881-2 by prominent drugstore merchant,
E.A. Hannaford. This High Style House is of Italianate stylistic influence. This
house is a Granbury Landmark as well as being listed in the Register of Texas
Historic Landmarks.
This two story, L-plan home has a highly ornamental front porch with
two pilasters and jig sawn brackets. Above the porch, on the balcony, there are
turned wood balusters that match the balusters above the two round bay
windows on the bottom floor. The sidewalks and curbs in front of the house are
original and made of limestone.The original lawn, four times its present size, was
surrounded by as picket fence, included a carriage house, barn, stable, rose
garden, tennis court, and a greenhouse.
Edwin Augustus Hannaford was a druggist and opened the first
drugstore on the Granbury Square. The original drugstore was in a canvas tent
until he built a two story stone structure on the west side of the Square. “Doc”
Hannaford as he became known was also very involved in the Granbury
education system. “Of the thirty schools in Hood County, Hannaford helped
build twenty-nine of them. Many of the students knew him personally, because
it was in his store that they purchased their school books”(Beth Calhoun). Mrs.
Nettie (Brous) Hannaford was involved in community affairs as well, she was a
charter member of the Women’s Wednesday Club and the Eastern Star. Doctor
Hannaford was also very involved in the establishment of several churches in
Granbury. In his youth, Doc Hannaford fought on the Union side of the Civil
War, but upon his death in 1915, “… the Confederate Veterans Camp requested
to be honorary pallbearers at his funeral. For four years they had been on
opposite sides of the war, but in peace they had worked together for forty-four
years. He was now a fallen comrade and deserved honor as a true Texas citizen
and a real pioneer Texan” (Vance Maloney, Granbury Newspaper, November,
1915).
The Hannaford House was designated a Granbury
Commission November 16, 1999.
Estes-Green House
319 West Pearl Street
Estes-Green House
The Estes-Green House was built in 1911, it is a High Style House with
Prairie Stylistic Influence. It is a Four-square home by design with a five bay
wrap porch and porte-cochere.
The home was built by attorney B. M. Estes who also served terms on the
Granbury City Council, as Mayor and County Attorney. Records indicate that
Mr. Estes replaced a Victorian House with this larger, more unusual home. Mr.
Estes and his family moved into the new home December 11, 1911. This home
was also the first of its style in Granbury. Some of the typical features of
American Foursquare, Prairie influence are: low pitched, symmetrical roof, many
windows (the Estes-Green House has 53), and hipped roof dormers. The EstesGreen House was designed and built with all of these features.
Built after the turn of the century, the B.M. Estes House was more stylish,
Victorian style was not en vogue anymore, and less expensive to build due to
lack of elaboration and ornamentation. B. M. Estes also saw this design as more
masculine because it lacked all the frills. Mr. Estes must have been a
perfectionist because he hired a builder, then another builder to oversee the work
of the first builder, then another builder to oversee the work of the first two!
Originally from Tennessee, B. M. Estes married an Arkansas girl and
moved her to Granbury in 1874. That same year he began practicing law in
Granbury and continued until 1938, a total of 64 years. Mr. Estes served as
District Court Clerk and County Attorney during his lifetime. He served as
chairman of the executive committee on the behalf of prohibitionists in 1887, as a
city councilman and later served as acting mayor of Granbury. Mr. Estes is also
listed as one of the founding members of the Presbyterian Church in Granbury.
Along with being a prominent landowner in Hood County, Mr. Estes began the
first Title Company in Hood County, his son Roy managed it. After he was
elected County Judge, he became known for being particularly opinionated. He
was known as conservative, fair and wise, but could be not be swayed in his
beliefs in any way. For example, he did not believe that his daughters should
have to ride their horses sidesaddle, and he also believed that his daughters
should be educated; he sent two of them to Texas Wesleyan.
The Estes-Green House is currently owned by Mr. and Mrs. Jake Caraway.
Mr. Caraway is currently a Councilman on the City of Granbury City Council.
The Estes-Green House was designated a Granbury
Historic Landmark by the City of Granbury Historic
Commission November 16, 1999.
Walker House
523 North Crockett Street
Walker House
The Walker House was built before 1898 and was originally located on the
north side of West Pearl Street; it was moved in 1992 to its present location. The
Walker House is a Vernacular House (particular to the region) and is Eastlake in
stylistic influence.
The home was purchased by Dr. W. S. Walker in 1901 from Mrs. Bettie
Miller. He bought the house shortly after his marriage to Eunice Fitzhugh. The
stained glass windows are original to the house as is the gingerbread trim and
turned wood posts on the front porch. Dr. Walker sold the house to S. T.
Compton in 1913, and went through many owners until Dr. Joel Martin D.D.S.
bought the property and gave the house to Howard and Diane Lock to make
room for his new dental practice. The Locks moved the home to its current
location and the home is now known as Walker House Antiques. Mrs. Lock is
very active in Granbury’s historic preservation efforts and is a member of the
Granbury Historic Commission.
The Walker House was designated a Granbury Historical
October 1, 2002.
Brazos Drive-In Theatre
Brazos Drive-In Theatre
The Brazos Drive-In was built in 1952, and has been in continuous
operation since. It is one of the few remaining original drive-in theaters in Texas.
The Brazos Drive-In has one screen and original old concession building as well.
The Drive-In is a reminder of the euphoric post World War II era in American
and Texas history. Mr. and Mrs. Fort Keith built the Drive-In in the style of Art
Deco, which was highly popular in the 1950’s.
The Brazos Drive-In was designated a Granbury Historic
October 7, 2003 and re-designated a permanent landmark
April 1, 2008.
Historical Landmark #16
Granbury Light Plant
510 Ewell Street
Granbury Light Plant
The Granbury Light Plant was built in 1923, and remains a symbol of
Granbury’s early electrical generating and water works system. The Granbury
Light Plant is also a symbol of early electricity in Texas. Electricity first arrived
in Granbury in 1903.
Earl Cogdell along with other City Council members helped establish this
first municipal electric generating plant in 1923. The Granbury Light Plant has
fireproof limestone walls, original windows (painted gray to help protect against
bombing in World War II), and its three original diesel powered engines. The
Light Plant features steel doors and sashes, steel trusses and a corrugated metal
roof so it would be “…impossible for the plant to be destroyed by a fire, a
disaster which so often befalls small town electric light plants.” (Granbury News,
March 2, 1923)
The Granbury Light Plant was designated a
Granbury Historic Landmark by the City of Granbury
Historic Commission September 16, 2003.
Granbury News-Crockett-Crawford Building
510 Ewell Street
Granbury News-Crockett-Crawford Building
The Granbury News-Crockett-Crawford Building was built in 1900. It is a
remaining symbol of Granbury’s early small, rural town newspaper publishing.
The early Granbury newspaper brought local, state, and national news.
Some of the significant people associated with the Granbury NewsCrockett-Crawford Building are: Frank Gaston, who was editor of the Granbury
News from 1888-1930, Ashley Crockett, grandson of Davy Crockett, who wrote
and edited for Granbury’s newspapers for many years, and Norma Crawford
publisher of the Hood County News-Tablet and director of the First National
Bank. Mrs. Crawford led a drive to save the Hood County Courthouse Clock
Tower through her newspaper in 1969. The building was moved to its current
location in 2000.
The Granbury News-Crockett-Crawford Building
was designated a Granbury Historical Landmark by the
City of Granbury Historic Commission September 16,
2003.
Ratliff House (Pomegranate House)
Ratliff House (Pomegranate House)
The Ratliff House was built in 1906. The House is a especially wellpreserved example of Victorian Eastlake architecture. It possesses significance in
area history, architecture and culture. The home is associated with events that
have a made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of local, regional,
and state history; part of the original property of the Ratliff House was a pecan
orchard which was a large cash crop at one time.
J. N. Ratliff Sr. occupied the house and was best known for owning and
operating Ratliff’s Garage, and early automotive shop. The garage was located
on the square and operated until after World War II.
The Ratliff House was designated a Granbury
Commission January 6, 2004.
Old Granbury Hospital/Granbury Opera House Dorm
116 South Houston Street
Old Granbury Hospital/Granbury Opera House Dorm
The Old Granbury Hospital/Granbury Opera House Dormitory is located
at 116 South Houston Street, and was built in 1946, originally as a hospital to
serve the residents of Granbury. Afterwards, the property became the dormitory
housing for traveling actors performing at the Granbury Opera House. The
property is greater than fifty years old and has been included in Granbury’s
Historic Sites Inventory. The property has significant historical value having
been built at the request of “Doc” Ballard, known as a progressive physician and
also being associated with the historically significant Granbury Opera House.
The Old Granbury Hospital/Opera House Dormitory was
designated a local landmark April 13, 2006.
Yeats Duke Cabin
214 North Crockett Street
Yeats Duke Cabin
The Yeats Duke Cabin is located at 214 North Crockett Street. Originally
built in 1858 as a 16’ x 16’ single pen log home by Austin Newton Yeats, the
house has evolved over time into the structure seen today. Austin Yeats settled
in Texas in the middle 1850’s with his wife, Frances Bond and her family. Yeats
was a house joiner by trade, which may account for the condition of the original
log structure today. Yeats and his family were among the first settlers in the
area, settling in the area several years before Granbury became a town. Yeats left
Granbury only to fight for the Confederacy in the War Between the States. The
Yeats family sold the house in 1875 to the Nutt family. The Nutt family was
integral to the development of the town of Granbury, having donated the
original forty acres the town was platted from. The Nutt family sold the house to
Major William Duke and his wife, Sophronia, in 1880. The Dukes came to
Granbury from Alabama, and William Duke practiced law and became very
involved in the community, becoming a founding member of the Hood County
School. The Duke family made several additions to their home, beginning by
surrounding the original cabin with a larger frame structure. Eventually the
Dukes added a second pen the same size as the first attached by a dog trot. By
1905, dogtrot was enclosed adding a third room to the home and a front porch
was added. The last addition to the home came in 1932, with the addition of a
back porch next to the rear shed room. The home remained in the Duke family
for many years, and it was not until the 1970’s that Granbury’s first
preservationists rediscovered the original cabin inside the structure. The Yeats
Duke Cabin now belongs to the City of Granbury and efforts are being made to
fully renovate the structure.
The Yeats Duke Cabin was designated a local landmark
September 5, 2006.
Granbury College President’s House
Peveler House
801 North Lipan Highway
Granbury College President’s House
Peveler House
The Granbury College President’s House, also known as the Peveler
House, is located at 801 North Lipan Highway. Originally built in 1873 for the
Granbury College President, the house has also been inhabited by several of
Hood County’s Sheriffs. One particular sheriff was J.L Sandlin and family. It has
also been noted that there were classes held in the home and that the home
served as a dormitory for the college at some time. The house stands as a visible
monument to the growth of Granbury. It also represents the commitment the
community had to excellence in education. Elizabeth Peveler, a descendant of the
locally prominent Peveler family, lived in the home for more than thirty years.
The location of this house is also integral to its significance. Lipan Highway is
one of the major corridors into Granbury and is widely travelled. This house has
been an unchanging monument which residents and visitors alike have grown
accustomed to. Additionally, the massive 500-year-old Live Oak tree in the front
yard of the house is No. 10 in the city’s landmark inventory.
The Granbury College President’s House/ Peveler House
was designated a local landmark February 18, 2008.
Wright-Henderson-Duncan House
703 Spring Street
Wright-Henderson-Duncan House
The house was built by Hood County Sheriff A. J. Wright, and in later
years was a home for two other Hood County Sheriffs, J. F. Henderson and C. M.
Duncan. The original structure, a mid 19th century stone house with a dog-trot
plan was a frontier homestead for Wright. Settlers largely from Missouri
squatted on the land that would later become Granbury and eventually
purchased their homestead properties from Milam County. Wright (1819-1889)
was among those settlers from Missouri. Wright was engaged at various times in
cotton farming, stock raising, cattle drives and the mercantile business. At the
outbreak of the Civil War Wright returned to Missouri and served as a captain in
the Confederate Army. Wright survived the war and returned to this area of
Texas. When Hood County was organized in 1866, Wright was elected sheriff.
However, state authorities under the Military Government of Reconstruction
would not permit Wright, a former Confederate officer, to serve in the office. In
1867, Wright’s first wife Elizabeth Nutt Wright died. He married again in 1871 to
Miss Margaret Bond and move to Granbury where he was engaged in the
mercantile business. It was at this time that Wright hired local builder William
Trawick to construct a stone house on the outskirts of town. From 1873 to 1876
Wright served as Hood County Sheriff. He retired and moved to Coleman
County sometime before his death in 1889. However in October of 1881 he sold
his improvements and interests in the Milam County property that he had
homesteaded, to J. F. Henderson. Henderson purchased the deed to the property
from Milam County in November of 1881. He and his wife, Mary, and five
children resided in the house until 1910. Henderson (approx. 1846-1933), also a
native of Missouri, moved here in the spring of 1872. Henderson served as Hood
County deputy-sheriff and jailor before becoming sheriff from 1898-1900.
In 1891, the Henderson family added a second story in the same handhewn limestone, distinguishable from the earlier construction by lighter colored
mortar. The chimneys were extended to serve the upper floor and the open
North and South ends of the dogtrot were enclosed with limestone. An entrance
door was placed in the new North wall with transom and side lights. A double
gallery of wood decorated with jigsawed brackets, balustrade and Victorian trim
was constructed across the central three bays for the front north facade. The rear
of the house on the south facade received two rooms forming an “ell” to the main
house on the weStreet A long open porch provided access to these rooms which
served as the kitchen and dining rooms and was entered from the south end of
the enclosed dog-trot. All of the windows (except those on the new addition
begun in 1969) date from the 1891 remodeling and have the tall narrow
proportions of the late 19th century with low arched headings, double hung sash
and 2/2 lights. The house was covered with a picturesque jerkinhead gable roof
on which the end gables are clipped. A front façade walldormer over the central
bay also has a clipped gable. In 1910, Henderson lost his property and legal
judgments and began a long line of short-term ownerships.
The longest term owners to date have been Charles M. and Emma
Duncan. Duncan (1879-1957) was a cattleman and rancher who served as sheriff
of Hood County from 1936-1940. Late in 1928 Duncan purchased the WrightHenderson property and some 50 acres. Alterations and additions were made to
the house again after 1928 when C. M. Duncan installed electricity and plumbing
and topped the house with standing seam metal roofing. The wooden Victorian
double gallery which was in a deteriorated state of repair was removed and a
random limestone entrance porch consisting of three arches was constructed.
Above the porch the area was enclosed to accommodate bathrooms. The rear
“ell” of the house Duncan removed and constructed a new lean-to addition faced
with random limestone across the rear facade. It housed the kitchen and dining
area. The Duncans held the property three years, sold it in 1931, and repurchased
the property in 1940. When Mrs. Duncan died in 1969 the house was inherited by
their daughter, Mrs. Martha Anna Duncan Ingerson. In 1969 when Dr. and Mrs.
F. E. Ingerson inherited the property, work was begun to restore the house to its
1891 appearance. They removed the stone front entrance porch which Duncan
installed and constructed a double veranda similar to the 1891 veranda. The rear
lean-to addition was removed and a completely new constructed faced with
handhewn limestone salvaged from a demolished late 19th century mill
structure located nearby. This addition is compatible with the main house in
material and design. The standing seam metal roof was replaced with wood
shingles. The Ingerson family still owns the house and it is used as a residence.
The location of this house is also integral to its significance. The house is
now situated at the intersection of Highways 377 and 144. When it was originally
built, it was situated on a lone prairie, susceptible to Indian raids. Additionally, it
has been noted that David Nutt, father of Abe and D.L. Nutt, originally settled
on this land before moving to where the Hood County Courthouse now stands.
The Wright-Henderson-Duncan House was
designated a local landmark February 18, 2008.
Smith-Savage House
826 North Thorp Spring Road
Smith-Savage House
The Savage-Smith House was home to tough frontiersmen, prosperous
farmers and businessmen and strong, independent educated women. The home
has been the stage to some of the most significant historic patterns in American
history – from slavery to suffrage to the Great Depression. The Smith-Savage
house was built for Sam Smith, a Texas frontiersman and Civil War veteran who
served in Hood County politics and was also a leading Granbury merchant. The
house has been home several prominent Granbury families (Smith, Cleveland
and Savage) and the evolution of the house from a simple saltbox dwelling to an
ornate Eastlake Victorian, demonstrates the spirit of Granbury’s early
development and prosperity. The home’s condition today verifies its superior
craftsmanship and durability.
Sam Smith, who originally built the house, was a rugged pioneer who was
actively involved as a Texas Ranger in the battle recapturing Cynthia Ann Parker
from Comanche Indians. He also served as a politician in Hood County and was
a well-known merchant on the Granbury Square. Smith was also actively
involved in the development of Granbury College, where three of his daughters
attended. The Cleveland family moved to the home after Mag Cleveland was
widowed with five young children. She chose the home because of its proximity
to the schools and the colleges. Also, Ms. Cleveland had a black man named Jim
Cleveland who lived with the family. He was the son of one of the Cleveland
family’s former slaves. She had a bedroom added on to the back of the house for
him. When the Savage family owned the home, they lived in Fort Worth for 11
years, but still claimed their hometown to be Granbury. The Savages opened
their home to host a Depression era program called the National Youth
Association (NYA) which offered cooking and sewing classes for young ladies.
After they returned to permanently live in the house in 1932, they opened a
grocery store on the west side of the square. Mr. Savage died a short time later
and Ms. Savage continued to run the grocery store for many years. Emma and
her husband never had any children so the Granbury Church of Christ was given
the home when Emma died.
The two-story Victorian Smith-Savage house appears to have been
originally built as a simple saltbox dwelling. The house was later enlarged, and
at that time was probably adorned with its Victorian flourishes, including steep
Gothic cross-gables, a porch and balcony laden with Eastlake trim, and a
projecting bay window. The lumber used to build the Smith-Savage house was
hauled to Granbury from the east, probably from East Texas. This oldest section
of the house has cypress siding and much of its original beaded board ceiling.
The room used as a living room or parlor had one fireplace - the original
fireplace was rebuilt with new rock and much of its old rock during the 1970s.
The home’s original native limestone chimney is still standing on the north side
of the saltbox structure. Sam Smith’s addition enlarged the Smith-Savage house
considerably, adding a front parlor and a front entryway and hall downstairs,
plus a large bedroom upstairs. With the addition of Gothic gables, the Eastlake
porch and balcony, pairs of narrow Victorian windows with decorative relief
trim, the projecting bay window, and a bracketed cornice around the new wing,
Sam Smith’s simple saltbox dwelling became a florid Victorian house with a
distinctive Gothic air.
The Smith-Savage House was designated
a local landmark June 16, 2008.
Rylee-Aiken House
1500 Crawford Court
Rylee-Aiken House
The Rylee-Aiken House is regarded as the oldest house standing in
Granbury. The limestone structure was built on this site between 1856 and 1860
by Y.J. Rylee. The placement, preparation and construction of this home is
highly significant in the broad pattern of national history in that most of the
work on the property was completed with the aid of 12 African-American slaves
who were owned by Rylee. Additionally, a group of traveling Norwegians who
happened to be expert stonemasons assisted in the construction.
“The rock house was built on high ground overlooking Rylee’s land
holdings. The house was built using a plan similar to that of the log
cabins in the area. There are two large rooms with an open dogtrot
between. At either end of the house is a large room, which has a
fireplace with a stone chimney. The roof originally was made with
hand-hewed shingles from nearby cedar trees, which were cleared from
the land. Cedar and oak trusses can be seen on the inside of the house.
After years of neglect, the floors had to be replaced and a new metal
roof added, but the rock house still stands as a tribute to this early
pioneer family and those who came after.”
The large trusses had to be hauled in with ox wagons from Fort Colbert,
which is now known as Dallas. “The Aiken place was one of the first homes in
West Texas to have running water. Many years ago it was found feasible to lift
water from the springs to a tank near the house with the use of a hydraulic ram,
and the water also was used for irrigation.”
When it was originally constructed, the house was located on the secluded
banks of the Brazos River. The house is now situated in a highly developed area
and the land where the house was originally built has since been subdivided into
several commercial and residential properties. The old rock house is a very
familiar sight to native Granburians.
Sources cited:
1) Mary Saltarelli, Granbury Magazine. “Rylee Aiken House and Rylee Ferry
Masters Cabin: A Pioneer Family Settles on Brazos Banks.” Granbury, TX,
May/June 1984.
The Rylee-Aiken House was designated
a local landmark June 16, 2008.
Stringfellow-Gilmartin House
322 West Bridge Street
Stringfellow-Gilmartin House
This primitive farmhouse was built around 1916 for Will Stringfellow and his
family. The home was built of lumber and other old materials from Confederate Major
John A. Formwalt’s first Granbury residence, which was located on the same site.
Formwalt settled in what is now Hood County in the 1850s. He formed a local militia
to fight the Indians as early Hood County settlers ventured West of the Brazos River.
He served under General Hiram Granbury during the Civil War. Formwalt later
became a three-term Granbury justice of the peace.
The Stringfellow home still occupies a quarter-block, and was actually a small
farmstead in the village. Here the Stringfelllows planted a large vegetable garden,
nurtured fruit trees, raised a cow, and stabled their horses and a team of mules. Their
small farmstead had a water well, a storm cellar, an outhouse and a carriage house, all
built by Major Formwalt.
The late Mrs. Helen Gilmartin, a descendant of several pioneer Hood County
families, purchased this farmstead in 1975. She furnished the home with her antique
collection, and many of her local pieces remain in the house. Mrs. Gilmartin, a noted
antique dealer, recreated an authentic old country store, in the rock structure next
door, called “Gilmartins General Store”, which she opened to the public. Mrs.
Gilmartin was also known for her circa 1950s aluminum Christmas tree she left up
year round.
The steep Victorian cross gables are a significant architectural element of the
Stringfellow-Gilmartin Farmhouse. The interior of this home features rough-hewn
wood walls, original woodwork and sliding pocket doors.
The Stringfellow-Gilmartin House was designated
a local landmark July 1, 2008.
Granbury Railroad Depot
109 Ewell Street
Granbury Railroad Depot
Granbury’s Railroad Depot is shining example of early commerce in Hood
County. The building remains in relatively the same condition since its original
construction in 1914. The depot has been the hub of the county’s development
and has seen substantial changes in Granbury’s cultural and economic growth.
The one-story, rectangular brick depot features wide eaves and a hipped roof.
Interestingly, the roof still maintains much of its original Ludowici clay tiles.
The Granbury Railroad Depot possesses significance in area history, architecture
and culture. Built in 1914, it is a remaining symbol of rail transportation to and
from Granbury, which triggered a great economic boom here in the 1880s.
The Depot is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to
the broad patterns of local, regional, state and national history. The expansion of
the railroad across the U.S. brought prosperity and new innovations to lands that
had been without. Granbury was no exception. The arrival of the railroad had an
“immediate impact” on the local economy and property values rose
exponentially. The Depot had separate waiting room sections for white and black
passengers, which demonstrates the plight of African Americans in the south
after the Civil War.
Granbury’s founding town fathers together donated $25,000 to bring the Fort
Worth and Rio Grande Railroad to Granbury in 1887. These men included
Ashley Crockett and E.A. Hannaford. Granbury citizens who used the train
included farmers, ranchers and businessmen who used the depot to ship their
goods.
The Depot is similar to historic Texas railroad stations which also have the wide
overhanging eaves and the separate waiting rooms for different ethnic groups.
The Depot was built by employees of the Frisco Railroad using brick, stone and
trademark Ludowici clay roof tiles which were from the original clay tile factory
in New Lexington, Ohio, which burned in the 1950s.
The Depot is no doubt, one of the most established and familiar visual features of
Granbury. It stands as a monument of progress in this community from rustic
pioneer settlements to rural Texas county seat.
The Granbury Railroad Depot was designated
a local landmark November 8, 2008.
Walker-Morris-Peveler House
315 W. Bridge St.
Walker-Morris-Peveler House
The Walker-Morris-Peveler House, also known as “The Honeymoon Cottage” was built in
1895 in its existing location. The house remains one of the most charming examples of
Granbury’s cherished Victorian homes. Although Dr. W.S. Walker only lived in the house for
a short time, the charm of the structure has been maintained by its inhabitants for the last 114
years. The home was built by a renowned local contractor, E.J. Holderness, who owned a local
planing mill. The house, described as a Folk Victorian with ornate Eastlake details, still retains
most of its original detail. The historic, architectural and cultural significance of the house is
evidenced by the fact that the house is in its original location and has been largely maintained
in its original state. The fact that the house was constructed by a skilled local craftsman
demonstrates the uniqueness of the house’s design. The “Honeymoon Cottage” is evidence of
the prosperity and growth the citizens of Granbury and Hood County benefitted from.
Dr. Walker was one of the youngest doctors in Granbury and Hood County. The fact that he
was a specialized eye, ear, nose and throat doctor was unique for the time period and the area.
By all accounts, he was a very popular doctor who genuinely cared for his patients. In fact, the
doctor opened an office in the front room of the house and regularly saw patients there. His
daughter, Earle Marie Walker Morrow described her father in the Hood County Genealogical
Society Newsletter in November of 1993,
“Dr. Walker gave of himself totally, often staying all night at the bedside of a
seriously ill patient, missing meals and exposing himself to all kinds of weather.
This was just part of being a country doctor. He never refused to help anyone
regardless of circumstances or color.”
Dr. Walker travelled to New York City in 1897 to acquire more specialized ENT training and
returned to Granbury with an X-ray machine – Hood County’s first X-ray machine. This is
especially remarkable since the X-ray machine was first introduced to the United States in
1896.
The Walker family sold the home to Burr W. and Julia Morris in 1897. The Morrises lived in
the home until 1904. B.W. Morris was a prominent citizen who was born in Texas in 1845.
During the Civil War he served three years in the Confederate Army after enlisting at the age
of 15. He moved to the Granbury area in 1872 and is considered one of the area’s early settlers.
He was an influential businessman who, at one time, owned two businesses on the square.
Morris served in many different capacities in this community including 12 years as Hood
County Tax Assessor, 14 years as a Hood County Sheriff and one term representing his district
in the Texas State Legislature.
The Peveler family purchased the house in 1912. Lewis Alford Peveler was a recognized
business owner whose family settled Hood County in the early 1850s. Peveler owned and
operated both the Elite Café and the Bon Ton Restaurant which were located on the square.
The house remained in the Peveler family until 1968.
The Walker-Morris-Peveler House exhibits features consistent with the Queen Anne Victorian
form of architecture. The house was built as a cross-gabled structure with a towered roof on the
front porch. The elaborate detailing still evident on the house includes most of the original
woodwork and windows as well as several original stained-glass windows. The house has seen
few alterations since its original construction. A side porch was enclosed and a lean-to kitchen
was added on and later removed due to unsafe conditions. Dr. Walker’s entrance to his office
on the front porch was also removed at some point to close the room in for a bedroom. The
interior of the home also maintains much of its original moldings and millwork.
E.J. Holderness was a local contractor who built several other prominent houses in Granbury
including the Aston House on East Bridge Street and the Holderness - Aiken House on West
Bridge Street. In her 2008 History of Granbury Survey Report, local historian Mary Saltarelli
noted,
“The planing mill, opened by craftsman and builder E.J. Holderness,
employed workers who did planing, joining, turning, and all kinds of
cabinetry and woodwork. These local products allowed Granbury merchants
to exuberantly express their newfound prosperity through the construction of
high-style houses.”
Mr. Holderness was a well-known craftsman and is referred to as a “gifted designer and
builder” on the state historical marker at the Aston House. Holderness is also credited with the
design of a hotel called the Spur Inn in Stamford, Texas.
The Walker-Morris-Peveler House is most assuredly a familiar visual feature of the
city. Its location next to the historic Presbyterian Church has afforded the house
constant visibility. While the house is not the largest or most magnificent of all the
historic homes in Granbury, its charm and quaintness continues to draw interest from
both young and old.
The Walker-Morris-Peveler House was designated
a local landmark August 4, 2009.
D.L. Nutt-Watkins House
319 E. Bridge St.
D.L. Nutt-Watkins House
The Nutt House, also known as “D.L. Nutt Home” was built in 1879 in its existing location.
The house remains one of the best examples of a High-Style, Greek revival home. The charm
of the structure has been maintained by its inhabitants for the last 120 years. The home was
designed and built by a man whose last name was Evans. He also built the Hannaford House
on Lambert Street. The house, described both as a High Style Victorian or Plantation-style
home with Greek Revival details, still retains its original detail. The historic, architectural and
cultural significance of the house is evidenced by the fact that the house is in its original
location and has been largely maintained in its original state. The fact that the house was
constructed by a skilled local craftsman demonstrates the uniqueness of the house’s design.
The house was built for David Lee Nutt who was a very successful business owner in
Granbury’s early history. Nutt was an early Hood County entrepreneur who was also involved
in the development of several of Granbury’s most important institutions including churches,
schools and a bridge built over the Brazos River in 1878. The Nutt family is arguably the most
significant family in Granbury and Hood County’s history. Additionally, the woman who
restored the home in 1967 was Mary Lou Watkins Nutt, who is widely regarded as the founder
of the preservation movement in Granbury. David Lee Nutt was involved in the early
settlement of Granbury, even though he was one of the youngest of all the Nutt brothers. In
fact, he was involved in defending the territory in significant Indian raids and won the heart of
Sudie Garland, daughter of Captain Peter Garland who led local campaigns to defend the area
from Indian raids.
By all accounts, D.L. Nutt was a very industrious entrepreneur who worked very hard in the
business he shared with his brothers. After building the house, D.L and Sudie opened their
home to the “drummers” or travelling salesmen who were showcased their wares for the Nutt’s
mercantile store. In fact, it was Sudie who finally persuaded her husband to add a wing on to
the house to accommodate these individuals, thereby opening Granbury’s first hotel – The Nutt
House. A narrative of the family provided to the Texas Historical Commission describes the
friendly nature of D.L. and Sudie, “As host and hostess, Mr. Nutt and his amiable wife are
without peers as entertainers, and all who stop beneath their roof are made to feel at home.”
The Nutts closed the hotel in 1900 and dismantled the wing addition and porches were added
to the home. Mary Lou Watkins who was the granddaughter of D.L. and Sudie purchased the
house in the mid-1960s and began an extensive restoration.
The home is a fantastic example of a High-Style Victorian with Greek revival influence, which
was somewhat rare for this part of the country in 1879. The Nutts added a wing onto the house
when Ms. Nutt decided to profit from the drummers who came home with Mr. Nutt. The Nutts
entertained their guests for a few years and the “Nutt House” hotel wing was removed in 1900
and converted to expansive porches.
When Mary Lou Watkins began renovations on the home in the 1960s, she eliminated the
expansive front porch and restored much of the interior. She obtained a Recorded Texas
Historical Landmark in 1967. The current owner, Mr. Stuart Brown, also completed an
extensive restoration on much of the outside of the home by re-leveling the foundation and
restoring porch balusters and columns. Additionally, Mr. Brown added another bathroom
upstairs to one of the bedrooms, thereby extending the upstairs footprint. The house includes
most of the original woodwork and windows as well as much of the interior floors. Ms.
Watkins replaced the staircase with a staircase obtained from a historic home in Dallas. The
interior of the home also maintains much of its original moldings and millwork.
While all the information on the architect and builder of the home has not been obtained, we do
know that Mr. Evans also designed and constructed the Hannaford House, another fine home in
Granbury. The home was constructed from cypress lumber hauled from east Texas by an
oxcart.
The Nutt House is most assuredly a familiar visual feature of the city. Because it was
built on site 120 years ago, the home has seen Granbury through many eras. The house
is one of the largest and most magnificent of all the historic homes in Granbury. The
home is included in Granbury’s tour of homes and is a very popular stop when it is
included on the Candlelight Tour of Homes.
The D.L. Nutt-Watkins House was designated
a local landmark November 17, 2009.

City of Granbury, Texas

Transcription

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