Building and Grounds

The History Center is designed in the Craftsman architectural style, highlighting the natural beauty and function of wood. This is especially evident in the interior spaces, where native pine and cypress make up the floors, walls, and ceilings. Locally made Stickley-styled quarter-sawn white oak furniture is used throughout the reading room and other public areas. Adding to the Center’s natural beauty is a landscape design which features East Texas native grasses, plants and trees. Among the trees are loblolly pine, white oak, bald cypress, sycamore, shumard oak, swamp chestnut oak, red maple, and eastern red bud. Grasses and plants include gulf muhly, bluestem (little, big, and splitbeard), switchgrass, Indian grass, wax myrtle, crossvine, carolina jasmine, Virginia sweetspire, “Dam B” wisteria, and coralberry. J.E. Kingham Construction Company (general contractor) www.jekingham.com Goodwin-Lasiter (architects) www.goodwinlasiter.com