Historic Walker County

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Above: An inmate is pulled by a
bronco in one of the last Texas Prison
Rodeos in 1983.
COURTESY OF THE SAM HOUSTON STATE
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES.
Below: A beautiful example of a
nineteenth century bedroom preserved
in the Huntsville-Walker County
Museum.
COURTESY OF MEREDITH AUSTIN.
Ronald Clark O’Bryan, and Gary Lee Graham.
As controversial as the death penalty is, the
people of the county have shown great
compassion to the families of inmates. In 1986,
volunteers from the Texas Baptist Men, led by
the Rev. Clyde Johnston built the Hospitality
House. It offers beds to family members of
inmates who travel long distances and asks for
only a minimal donation to sustain its efforts. 106
Just as the Hospitality House began
welcoming its first guests, another Huntsville
institution was closing its doors. The Texas Prison
Rodeo reached its end in 1986. The Prison
Rodeo, a tradition that lasted for more than half a
century, garnered thousands of visitors each year
and attracted national attention. Even so, the
rodeo was indefinitely postponed in 1986 due to
TDCJ’s concern that the arena needed $700,000
in structural renovations. Others argue that the
rodeo dominated the minds of prison officials,
cost more revenue than was previously
suggested, and encouraged the inmates to
consent to the injury release form simply to make
a small bit of money. With the loss of the Texas
Prison Rodeo, Huntsville looked to its local
groups to inspire and develop new ways to bring
tourists to the county. 107
The substantial growth of local historical
groups in Walker County in the last forty years
has done much to preserve the integrity and
public knowledge of the region’s past. The most
prominent group in maintaining the county’s
history is the Walker County Historical
Commission, created in 1963. The Commission
has been responsible for the addition of many
historical markers, now totaling more than 80.
Another significant accomplishment is the
establishment of the Huntsville and Walker
County Museum, dedicated solely to the history
of Walker County and located in the Gibbs-
Powell House at the corner of 11th Street and
Avenue M in Huntsville. Built in 1862 by
Thomas Gibbs, the Commission converted the
home into the Walker County History Museum
in 1984, and it serves as a meeting place and
educational site for local school groups. 108
Another recent museum and cultural center to
preserve the history of Walker County is the
5 0 ✦ H I S T O R I C W A L K E R C O U N T Y