Sam Houston's Woodland Home
Scope and Contents
The Robert W. Nelson Photographs contains ten black-and-white photographs circa 1918-1923 of prominent Huntsville sites, including early Sam Houston Normal Institute buildings, Sam Houston's Woodland Home, and the fourth Walker County Courthouse. It additionally contains a photograph of two women posing by the side of the Old Main Building.
Dates
- Creation: Circa 1918-1923
Biographical / Historical
The Woodland Home was built in 1848 as the family home of lawyer and politician Sam Houston, Texas Senator and former president of the Republic of Texas. The family lived there for eight years with several enslaved persons, including Joshua Houston, who was highly respected by the family and community.
Between 1853 and 1878 the house had various owners before being sold to S. Smedes. In 1899, it opened as "Smedes' Boarding House for Girls" with large several additions. In 1905, Sam Houston Normal Institute (SHNI) (now Sam Houston State Univeristy) students and Bertha Kirkley of the history department decided to restore the site. They raised money to purchase the original property and the house, and returned the Woodland Home to the land. The Woodland Home first opened as a museum in 1929. It has undergone extensive restoration efforts in the years since then. In 1974, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark and put on the the National Register of Historic Places.
The Woodland Home is now located at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library, which is a part of Sam Houston State University.
Extent
From the Collection: 1 file (File is located within Small Collections Box) : 10 photographs
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Physical Description
There is writing in faded pen on the photograph's back which reads, "Home of Sam Houston, Huntsville Texas," along with the number "1" in pencil.
Repository Details
Part of the Thomason Special Collections & SHSU University Archives Repository