The Woodlands: Archeological Investigations at the Sam Houston Home, Huntsville, Walker County, Texas

The following report prepared by John W. Clark, Jr. presents the findings made during archeological excavations carried out at the site of Sam Houston's home, "The Woodlands," in Huntsville, Texas. The primary aim of the excavations was to search for evidence of the original alignment and character of the Houston Horne in order to assist efforts to restore the structure to its original configurations. Of particular concern were the original location of the house, the character of the original chimneys and a determination of the presence or absence of a front porch. This mission was only partially successful due to repeated disturbances in and around the site during more than a century of use following the Houston occupation. The alignment and structural character of the rear of the house were documented; however, subsurface evidence of the chimneys and the porch appear to have been destroyed during the years after Sam Houston moved from "The Woodlands." descriptive in condensing traditionally admirable job A secondary aim was to locate the original kitchen site if possible. Evidence from the excavations suggests that the representative kitchen structure which currently exists at the site is situated in approximately the same position as the original detached kitchen. No structural details of the Houston era kitchen were encountered. The final aim of these investigations was to provide documentation of the nature and extent of several additions to the original house which were made during the latter part of the 19th Century. Substantial structural evidence relating to this period of occupation was uncovered in the excavations. Although this report is in nature, Mr. Clark has condensed a large body of data into manageable form. The information presented in this report should prove helpful in obtaining historical accuracy in the restoration program now under way at the Houston Home.