As I was driving on Highway 6 in Hitchcock, Texas, in May 2004, I noticed a Texas Historical Commission subject marker marking Stringfellow Orchards. I stopped to read it and was immediately drawn to the story. Henry Martyn Stringfellow was a world-renowned horticulturalist who started his business in Galveston after the Civil War and eventually moved it 12 miles inland to Hitchcock in the 1880s.
I drove down the overgrown driveway to take a closer look at the property. Sitting in the center of the almost 9.5-acre estate was a 1.5-story, wood-framed folk Victorian residence with Queen Anne form. The house was in terrible shape and had been hidden from the public by the overgrown vegetation. The house, barn, and other structures seemed to have been swallowed by dense foliage. Re-Animating the OrchardsAs I stood there looking over the property, I thought to myself, “What an amazing place! It would be great to own a place like this and to restore it.” I had been bitten by the preservation bug, and I began researching the property. On December 15, 2005, I closed on the historic property, and the rebirth of Stringfellow Orchards began. I immediately cleared the grounds and prepared for a community celebration. I hired contractors to repair the foundation of the house, replace its roof, replace rotten wood around its exterior, and paint it. My wife Doris and I hosted our first Juneteenth event at the site in 2006. With over 500 people in attendance, the celebration was a great success. We thought this would lead to tours of the site and wedding rentals and planned to use the proceeds to help offset the cost of the restoration. Over the next few years, many events were indeed held at the site, but given the discounted rental fees that attracted business and the money spent on advertising, we were unable to generate enough revenue to cover even their cost, let alone the restoration. The Challenges of StewardshipThen in 2008 we were hit with Hurricane Ike and the financial market collapse, and our dream turned into a nightmare. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. When we bought the property in 2005, the house was filled with furniture, and the barn and sheds contained old farm equipment. During the economic downturn we sold much of that furniture and equipment. We were forced to sell it cheap, but it helped us make it through. We also continued to host events and share the amazing story of Stringfellow Orchards. Like many others suffering through 2009 and 2010, we exhausted our savings and most of our retirement accounts. We eventually listed the property for sale, but did not receive any serious offers. We had invested so much of our time, talent, and treasure that we could not just give the property away to a low bidder. Success Through Shared UseIn 2011 I began planning my next career move. I had always wanted to work for myself and decided that 2012 would be the year I made the leap of faith. On April 20, 2012, I resigned from my job at a large brokerage firm and opened my own investment services company at our historic site. The first eight months of the transitioning were difficult, but by the end of 2012 things had begun to turn around. Housing a business built on trust in a historic structure was a perfect fit. Sitting across the table from a client in my office or on the porch feels very different from being in the corporate climate of a downtown building. Clients have even remarked that the setting reminds them of visiting grandparents in the country. It has helped me build personal understanding with clients and shown them that working with me is about more than numbers. Also in 2012 I applied to have Stringfellow Orchards listed on the National Register of Historic Places. On February 27, 2013, it became the first and only nationally registered property in Hitchcock. Thanks to the new business, my revenues hit an all-time high in 2013, and beat that record in 2015, which is also the year I was named Galveston County citizen of the year by the Galveston County Daily News for my work in the community and in historic preservation. Our historic site, which had once been a negative cashflow item on our balance sheet, has now become an asset. A Vision for the FutureBut the impact of the project is measured in much more than dollars and cents—it is our goal to help grow people as they visit the site. What was once an eyesore for the city is a vibrant part of the downtown area that even draws local photographers and artists. The property has been featured on HGTV, Texas Country Reporter, PBS with Lidia Bastianich, and as part of a documentary about the Stringfellows, as well as in several magazines, including national publications This Old House and Black Enterprise. Shared with Sam Collins III permission Shared from https://forum.savingplaces.org/
1 Comment
Willie Mae Franklin Johnson
4/22/2022 04:42:11 am
I had the opportunity to view his historic building when this building was being restored years ago. Had no ideal I would see Sam on 4/18/2022 while on a field trip with My Breakfast club from Houston, Texas & he was our tour guide at the beautiful Museum there in Galveston. I was surprise to see him after many years. He is the husband of my twin brothers daughter (Doris). I was so sorry that II had not kept in touch with them over the years. I had just seen Doris about 3 weeks ago when I visited my brother in LaMarque. I was so proud to introduce him to the group as my handsome nephew. They too were proud of him after his magnificent historical presentation about the Springfellow Orchard , his future plans and about Galveston (I grew up in Galveston) We were all seated and gave him our undevided attention. It was all good for me because I left Galveston at age of 17 for college and after my 4 years I moved to Houston . My parents both moved the family there in 1942 when I was 4yrs.old and they both remained there until God called them to their eternal home. I am still smiling and I along with the group will be sharing our experience with the time spent with my knowledgeable nephew and encourage them to plan the same trip.
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The City of Hitchcock is located on Hwy 6 in Galveston County 10 north of Galveston and 30 miles south of Houston.
Hitchcock is a city in Galveston County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,386 at the 2000 census. Hitchcock was created as a station of the railroad between Galveston and Houston in 1873 and around the turn of the 20th century became a vegetable shipping center. The settlement's economy crashed in the 1930s after insect plagues in the surrounding areas, and the area stayed impoverished until the establishment of both an anti-aircraft training base and the Hitchcock Naval Air Station at the beginning of World War II. Archives
March 2021
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