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
Samuel Walker Houston Museum and Cultural Center. Established to honor and perpetuate the legacy of Samuel Walker Houston, the museum encourages cultural and educational activities in the African American community in Walker County. 109 Houston founded Walker County’s first private African American high school and later served as principal of Huntsville’s Samuel W. Houston High School. One of the center’s unique features is a Wall of Faces, which depicts the cast faces of sixty-eight African Americans who have contributed to the success of Walker County. Perhaps the most striking feature on the Huntsville landscape is the world’s tallest statue of a Texas hero. A tremendous fundraising effort, along with state and local monies supported the sixty-seven-foot tribute to Sam Houston. The first meeting with artist David Adickes was in October 1991, and the dedication took place October 22, 1994. Reverend Earnest Grover, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Huntsville, delivered the invocation attended by many local and state dignitaries. Notable attendees included then Governor Ann Richards, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, and CBS News anchorman and SHSU alumnus Dan Rather. 110 Bolstered by the success of the Gibbs-Powell Home, a group of Huntsville Volunteers, led by Linda Pease, began a fundraising effort to restore Huntsville’s historic Wynne home into an arts ❖ Above: David Adicke’s sixty-sevenfoot tribute to Texas’ greatest hero, Sam Houston, on Interstate 45 in Huntsville. COURTESY OF MEREDITH AUSTIN. Left: The mission of the Wynne Home is to promote and share the arts with the Huntsville and Walker County community. COURTESY OF MEREDITH AUSTIN. C h a p t e r V I I I ✦ 5 1
Page 2 and 3: Thank you for your interest in this
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTS 3 CHAPTER I Native America
Page 6 and 7: ❖ Above: William E. Moore found t
Page 8 and 9: Eight decades later, following a di
Page 10 and 11: ❖ Cincinnati town survey. COURTES
Page 12 and 13: ❖ Advertisements from The Huntsvi
Page 14 and 15: ❖ Above: Sam Houston (1793-1863).
Page 16 and 17: ❖ Above: “A typical Texas cotto
Page 18 and 19: I need not assure you that whenever
Page 20 and 21: ❖ Above: Thomas Jewett Goree (183
Page 22 and 23: ❖ Right: Memphis Allen sat on the
Page 24 and 25: Five miles further north and east,
Page 26 and 27: ❖ Top: The Austin College Buildin
Page 28 and 29: ❖ Above: The Henry Opera House (l
Page 30 and 31: ❖ Top, left: Marcellus E. Foster
Page 32 and 33: ❖ Above: New Waverly School, earl
Page 34 and 35: ❖ Operators at the switchboard, H
Page 36 and 37: ❖ Above: Andrew Smither, Lee Cart
Page 38 and 39: ❖ Above: Men with the Civilian Co
Page 40 and 41: ❖ Above: The Sam Houston Memorial
Page 42 and 43: imprisoned at the University of San
Page 44 and 45: ❖ Top: Huntsville City Council wi
Page 46 and 47: ❖ Wendell Baker with his wife, Au
Page 48 and 49: ❖ Above: An aerial view of Sam Ho
Page 50 and 51: ❖ Above: A map of Walker County T
Page 54 and 55: ❖ The Texas Prison Museum proudly
Page 56 and 57: ❖ Above: The Storybook House (for
Page 58 and 59: 27 Patricia Smith Prather and Jane
Page 60 and 61: 95 Bernadette Pruitt, Wendell Baker
Page 62 and 63: HUNTSVILLE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL Like s
Page 64 and 65: to-date with industry trends, equip
Page 66 and 67: ELKINS LAKE RECREATION CORPORATION
Page 68 and 69: COMMUNITY SERVICE CREDIT UNION ❖
Page 70 and 71: ❖ MCCAFFETY ELECTRIC CO., INC. Ab
Page 72 and 73: FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF HUNTSVILLE O
Page 74 and 75: COMFORT SUITES- HUNTSVILLE Local re
Page 76 and 77: BETHY CREEK RESORTS For families wh
Page 78 and 79: CANDYCE FARRIS DIXON, CPA ❖ Candy
Page 80 and 81: ❖ CHARLES W. MONDAY, JR., M.D., P
Page 82 and 83: SMITHER, MARTIN, HENDERSON & BLAZEK
Page 84 and 85: SAM HOUSTON CANCER CENTER In just a
Page 86 and 87: SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY In res
Page 88 and 89: HUNTSVILLE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTR
Page 90 and 91: For more information about the foll

Historic Walker County

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