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Two
historic buildings in East Texas made
news recently. One story was sad; the other joyous.
At Hemphill,
one of the grandest homes in East Texas,
the Pratt home,
burned, leaving almost nothing but ashes.
In 1908, as Sallie Pratt’s house
was being completed near downtown Hemphill,
she prayed a “hedge” around the structure and asked God to safeguard her home
from man’s destruction--much in the Biblical fashion of Job 1:10.
Sallie’s
home was built for her by her husband, George Edward Pratt, who had followed
in his father’s footsteps in the general mercantile business.
The home
was furnished with quality furniture shipped to Hemphill.
Sally’s bed was so elegant that it was reportedly used in a scene from the film,
“Gone With the Wind.”
Sallie’s religious faith earned her a reputation
as a healer and her skills were sought by people throughout East
Texas.
The home
was restored a number of years ago and an anonymous donor, who said “something
moved me to give,” gave nearly $100,000 for the restoration. The Pratt
home was moved from its original site several years ago.. The move, some people
claim, broke Sallie’s Biblical “hedge,” leaving it unprotected from man’s destruction.
But
at Marshall, the Starr
Family Home, a Texas historic site, which had fallen on hard times, was restored
to its original glory.
A remarkable example of 19th century architecture
and family heritage, the home, known as Maplecroft,
housed four generations of the Starr family.
The Starr family played an
important role in Texas history from the formative years of the Republic of Texas
through the state’s growth through the late 1800s.
Dr. James
Harper Starr was president of the Board of Land Commissioners, and secretary
of state for the Republic. Starr County was named for him.
Dr.
Starr bought 52 acres on the edge of Marshall
in 1870, establishing the site as the family’s home.
The restoration work
began after a number of factors, including weathering, wear and tear by the inhabitants
and visitors, and foundation shifts contributed to the house’s deterioration.
Bob Bowman's East Texas
December 12, 2010Column.
A weekly column syndicated in 109 East Texas newspapers |
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