Christmas, Coldspring, Country living, Country Style, Dining Table

San Jacinto County Home Tour Part 1

I love our adopted county.  It is tiny.  Teeny tiny.  In fact, it is the smallest county in the second largest state in the United States.  I love the little town square.  Next weekend is the Christmas parade.  We don’t miss it each year.  One year the football float caught on fire in the parade…true story.

One of the things I look forward to each year is the San Jacinto Women’s League home tour.  This year was my favorite, favorite, favorite tour that I have ever been on.  If I could have hand-picked the homes based on homes I look at longingly, five of them would have been on my list.  My top two homes ever were on this list.  I loved this home tour so much that I have divided it up into three parts.  I hope you don’t hate me for it, but my weekend country home folks hit it out of the park this year.

At the end of our county road, in Point Blank, Texas there are two homes I have been nosy about for years.  They are clearly old.  Not old, like 1971 when the lake was built and homes sprung up around it, old.  Old, old.  These homes were clearly homes that were built a long time ago.  When we arrived at the starting point this year, Paul Horton Methodist Church, the map made my heart sing because the two old homes were on the tour.

home tour map

You have to love that each year we show up and get a hand-drawn map telling where the homes are for the year.

Paul Horton Meth Paul Horton UMC

The starting point this year was Paul Horton United Methodist Church.  An old church located very near our lake house.  The Church faces away from the road because the road moved to the other side of the church years ago.

House 1 was the house on Boat Launch Road.

Woo Hoo!

When we started going up to the lake eight years ago, this house was empty, the grass was growing up around her, and the bushes were overgrown.  Even in that state I could tell that she was a gem.  I would have loved to have purchased her when she went on the market, but alas the time was not right for us.  The house was purchased and work began on the home.  I strained to see the work in progress every time we drove by.  I was always thrilled when the gate was open because I could see work in progress.

I almost stopped at the house to knock on the door and introduce myself several times.

Over the past couple of years the house started to emerge.  The weeds were gone, the roof was repaired, and the rotted wood was replaced and painted a beautiful white.

Here is my posse for the day on the porch of the boat launch house.

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We wore our Christmas gear.  The Social Planner wore a leopard print Santa hat and the rest of us were reindeer.

boat launch house Robinson accountant house updated home

Isn’t she a beauty?

The inside was remodeled in the 50’s and some of the decisions were, well, questionable.  A dentist lived there and opened his office on the property.

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I was thrilled this original fireplace remained from when Mr. Robinson built this home for his plantation overseer/ accountant.  Yep.  this home was part of a huge plantation.  It was built by an Alabama family 150 years ago when the property was all a part of a huge plantation along the trinity river.  More on that later.

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The furnishings are an eclectic mix of antique, vintage, and modern funk.  This is a weekend home for a young Houston professional who is working on the home with his friends and parents.

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See the vintage television they owner has?  I think we had that tv when I was growing up.  The beams are original.

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See that brown trim around the top of the room?  That was installed so that the owner can display his art work without damaging the plaster walls.  what a great idea.

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I really liked this oak table and chairs in this home.  They were the perfect set in this home.

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The grand piano by the windows is stunning.  The original windows are beautiful.

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The fireplace above is clearly an addition.  Not my favorite, but the new owner is making the best of it.  He is adding rustic touches.

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Love the galvanized bucket with poinsettias inside.

House number 2 is a house that I have stared at every time I drive by it and wondered the history.  The sign out front says The West Plantation.  I have wondered about this grand old home since the first time I saw it.

Robinson Plantation

It turns out that this home was built in 1854 by slaves for the Robinson family.  Robert Todd Robinson bought the property, built the home then left his three sons to run the plantation.  Sam Houston’s home on Snow Hill road was close by.  Sam Houston visited the home often and rode on the Robinson’s boat down into Harrisburg (now called Houston)  for business.

Mr. and Mrs. West have owned the home for 40 years.  The home is a conglomeration of of additions, modernization, and original elements.  Mr. West is a historian and he has created a museum out of his barn for the items found on the site.  Only 40 acres of the original plantation remain but those 40 acres are stunning.

Robinson Stable the west plantation historic marker robinson plantation mr west

Mr. West was thrilled to share his home and his stories.

artifacts

Robinson plantation

It was Christmas so the house was decorated but I was more interested in the history of the homes.

plantation christmas tree

The house was really crowded because everyone wanted to see inside this iconic home.

If you ever get the chance to visit our little adopted county, the people of San Jacinto County will welcome you, too.  it is a beautiful, hilly little county full of history, great people, and a great lake.

We are lucky folks.

Thanks for reading about my adopted home.

Karen

Christmas, Coldspring, Country living, Country Style

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year in Coldspring

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I love, love, love November and December in Coldspring, Texas. Chilly weather, fire pit, s’mores, falling leaves and the little town of Coldspring does Christmas for weeks!

First, there will be the Trade Days November 23. That means little tents set up on the courthouse square selling hand made items and food. It also means my favorite thrift store on the planet will be open. Woo Hoo

Coldspring Square Christmas Lighting

Coldspring Square Christmas Lighting

Coldspring Square Christmas Lighting

November 30 is the town lighting event. All the shops in town stay open late and at dark they all turn their Christmas lights on at the same time. We stand out on the porches of the shops, drink hot chocolate and Santa passes out candy canes.

Coldspring Square Christmas Lighting

Coldspring Square Christmas Lighting

December 8th there is an event I look forward to all year; the Christmas Home tour. This year we will be visiting the homes of Cape Royale. I am lobbying for my buddy, The Social Planner, to get her home on the tour next year. It is a chance to see beautifully decorated homes, meet the lovely ladies of the community and eat yummy snacks. I am going to be bringing my camera this year those of you who live too far away can see how clever those ladies are.  I will be going with a group of friends and we have a great time.

December 14 will be the lighted evening parade. It is small town- Americana at its finest. The football team, church groups, the FFA and local dignitaries are all riding in lighted floats.

Coldspring Square Christmas Lighting

 

Check out the Chamber of Commerce website for more information.  Chamber of Commerce

Coldspring Square Christmas Lighting

Come see why we fell in love with our little country town during this season.

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