The Gibbs-Powell House was built in 1862 by pioneer Huntsville merchant, Thomas Gibbs. Thomas and his brother, Sanford, ran Gibbs Bros. & Co., a mercantile store, which still exists as a banking and natural resources company. Gibbs Bros. is thought to be the oldest continuous business in Texas still under the same ownership and in the same location.
The Gibbs-Powell House is built in the Greek Revival style that was popular in the South at the time. The House was constructed by W. M. Barrett, who also built the Austin College building located on what is now the Sam Houston State University campus. The original house comprised four rooms with a central breezeway and various outbuildings. A wing was added to the rear of the House in the early 1870s, and the addition was reconfigured into its current layout in 1915.
The House was occupied by Thomas and Mary Gibbs until his death in 1872 and hers in 1876. For several years the House was rented, and for a time female students at Sam Houston Normal Institute lived in the attic room.
In 1897 the House was purchased by Judge Ben Powell II and his wife Eleanor. They lived there until his death in 1900 and hers in 1906. For a time Judge Ben Powell III and his wife Mamie lived in the house with the other surviving Powell siblings.
From the 1920s to the 1960s, the house was occupied by sisters Louise and Inez Powell, who taught piano and voice at Sam Houston Normal Institute and Huntsville Schools. They also gave private lessons in the Home. They lived in the House until Inez died in 1967 and Louise in 1971. In 1963 their sister Dr. Anna Powell, retired to Huntsville from her job as professor at North Texas State University and lived in the House until her death in 1983.
In 1984 the Powell family leased the House to Walker County, and it has since been operated as a museum by the Walker County Historical Commission.
The Gibbs-Powell House is located at 1228 11th Street (11th Street and Avenue M) , Huntsville, TX across from the First National Bank and adjacent the Huntsville Police Station.
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The Gibbs-Powell House is open from 12 P. M. to 4 P. M. every Friday and Saturday and by appointment. Call 936-295-2914 or 936-435-2497 for more information.