James Walker Log House

THIS IS ONE OF THE EARLIEST SURVIVING LOG HOUSES IN TEXAS. IT WAS HOME TO JAMES AND CATHERINE (MILLER) WALKER AND THEIR DESCENDANTS FROM 1824 TO 1888. JAMES WAS ONE OF THE “OLD 300”, ORIGINAL COLONISTS TO SETTLE IN STEPHEN F. AUSTIN’S COLONY. HE AND CATHERINE SETTLED HERE WITH THEIR CHILDREN AFTER JULY 21, 1824, WHEN JAMES RECEIVED A LAND GRANT OF ONE LEAGUE (ABOUT 4,428 ACRES) ON NEW YEAR’S AND WOODWARD’S CREEKS. SONS JOHN AND JAMES, JR., PARTICIPATED IN THE 1836 TEXAS REVOLUTION AND DEVELOPED THE FAMILY LAND AFTER THEIR FATHER’S DEATH. THE HOUSE WAS BUILT AT AN UNKNOWN LOCATION DOWNHILL FROM THE PRESENT SITE. IT WAS MOVED TO THE HILLTOP IN 1888, WHEN JOHN WALLACE ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY. IN 1921 THE HOUSE WAS MOVED ABOUT 250 FEET TO THIS SITE BY THE BOCKHORN FAMILY, WHO USED IT AS A BARN.

THE 1 1/2-STORY DOUBLE-PEN LOG HOUSE IS BUILT OF ROUGH-HEWN CEDAR LOGS COVERED BY HORIZONTAL SIDING. THE SQUARE FLOOR PLAN INCLUDES A REAR SHED OF HEAVY TIMBER CONSTRUCTION. THE ORIGINAL ROOMS DATE FROM 1824, AND THE SHED IS ORIGINAL OR AN EARLY ADDITION. THE FRONT FAÇADE, WITH A THREE-BAY PORCH SUPPORTED BY SQUARE WOOD POSTS, HAS A SINGLE DOOR IN THE WEST PEN, AND A DOOR AND 6/6 PANE WINDOW IN THE EAST PEN. WINDOWS AND DOORS HAVE BOARD AND BATTEN SHUTTERS. A RUBBLE STONE CHIMNEY IS THE MAJOR ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE ON THE EAST SIDE. THE HOUSE’S TWO MAIN ROOMS ARE CONNECTED BY A DOORWAY CENTERED IN THE LOG PARTITION WALL. INTACT INTERIOR MATERIALS INCLUDE EXPOSED LOGS CHINKED WITH LIME MORTAR, PINE CEILINGS, AND DOORS WITH ORIGINAL PAINT AND HARDWARE. A SERIES OF HIGH NOTCHES ON THE WALLS INDICATE THERE WAS A LOFT ROOM ABOVE. THE HOUSE WAS RESTORED IN 1986 USING STRUCTURAL EVIDENCE AND PERIOD HISTORIC DETAILS AS DESIGN SOURCES FOR MISSING ELEMENTS. TODAY THE HOUSE IS A MOST VALUABLE REMINDER OF THE EARLY HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE OF TEXAS.