I’ve never told y’all about the history of our old dogtrot. When we first found our house, we found a folder inside one of the kitchen drawers and in that file was a 6-page write-up about our house. I think it was a school report prepared by a child of one of the previous owners.
It wasn’t immediately obvious what the report was about, but we read a few paragraphs and soon discovered that it was about the person who built our house.
Turns out our home was built by the founder of the town of Alto by Colonel Robert F. Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell moved to the Cherokee County area in 1837 from Natchez, Mississippi and became a business owner. He also served in the U.S. army during the Mexican War from 1846 to 1848. When he returned home after the war, he bought a sizeable amount of land in 1849 and this is where Alto was established and approximately when our house was built.
It is not known why the name “Alto” was chosen — some believe it is a form of either a Latin or Spanish word that means “high” because Alto is built on a high spot between the Neches and Angelina Rivers. Others speculate that Alto is named after a Spanish word for “stop” because Alto is on the El Camino Real, the historic highway which connected Louisiana to far west Texas, and it’s speculated the house we live in now was once a boarding house.
Our home was built in the mid-1850’s by Colonel Mitchell’s slaves and originally sat within the city limits. Sometime in the 1980’s, our house was moved out the country on the 10 acres where it now sits. (Several people we’ve met since moving here remember when our home was being moved down the highway — I wish I had a photograph, but so far, no luck with that.)
Over the years that we have lived here, we have learned a little more about our home.
One of the first things we discovered was that our house — the Mitchell house — is on a mural in Alto.
Mark also stopped by the Cherokee County Historical Society a few years ago and found the photograph of our home before it was moved to the country and before the dogtrot was enclosed.
We learned even more about our home when we had our propane tank filled. The delivery man mentioned that there was a framed drawing of our house in the local bank. Mark went to investigate, and sure enough, there it was:
Many years ago, a local artist made a calendar of historic houses in the area. I thought they were so well done, I’m sharing some of them below. I understand that ours is one of the few that now remains.
Of course, we loved our old home prior to learning any of this information, but we love it even more now, given its historical significance. Mark, who is fascinated by the Civil War, particularly likes that our home was built prior to the start of that war in 1861.
OH KIM!!! It’s beautiful and I love the history!!!! When I lived in CT I owned an old sea captain’s home built in 1710!!!! I miss it so!! If I ever win lotto I’m going to buy it back and keep it for a summer home to get away from the heat in SC, lol!!!!
What fun to actually know the history of your home! So cool that there are mentions and drawings of it in several places. Ours isn’t old but we do wonder about who built it, who has lived in it, and why they built somethings the way they did. :-/ Makes me want to leave a record of what we know and have done for the next owners to read.
Love this! Our old house is creatively embellished (they added a turret…lol) in a popular print around town with several other old homes. I wish I knew more about ours! I LOVE your dogtrot and may use yours as inspiration for when we build a home on our farm here in VA.
Love your house even more! So glad you and Mark are now the keepers of its history…..?
I think the history is what fascinates me most about our railroad house. I have been able to find a lot of information about it however there are some missing pieces to my puzzle and unfortunately the missing pieces are somewhere prior to Osjetea Briggs’ 40 year stay. Not too many official records prior to that. I have been to the county assessor’s office as well as pulled Deeds Etc but I am still missing a couple pieces. The history of Colonel Henry Clay Swanson who supposedly built the house for one of his daughters is amazing as is the history of the property and surrounding areas. It is so much fun to discover the secrets held within the walls of a beautiful old home. I think that you have a gem there and East Texas offers so much for the history buff in all of us. Great job of returning your old home to its Glory.
This history of your home is just so, so cool. So cool.
I love your home. You and Mark have done such a fantastic job of making it into a beautiful and unique home. Thank you so much for sharing its history.
Good day! Is the color of your house listed anywhere in your blog. It is a nice color and I would like to know the name of it.
Thank you. It’s really fun to learn history of your home. Growing up in a small town in KS there was an very large old school house that was made
of limestone. After the demo of that building in the 20’s several homes were built from the stone. All of them are favorites of locals. I think there are
4 and one church built from the stone. My home was also limestone but I could not find any record of what stove it was built out of and my guess it was built at the same time as the school was. It’s still standing and is a beauty. Limestone is beautiful. Have a great day!
Love this post, Kim. So interesting! I’m glad to see the outside of your house and not surprised that it’s as wonderful in character as the inside. You guys are an inspiration!
So interesting! How did it get the name Dogtrot?
Julie, the center breezeway in our house was open from end-to-end at one time. It was old-fashioned air conditioning back in the days before electricity. Breezes would blow through and cool the homeowners … and their pets, and I think that’s how it came to be known as a dogtrot style.
How neat to have a history of your home and to learn all the details. I don’t think that I have ever seen that last photo of your home from the outside – it is wonderful and it certainly doesn’t reveal all the wonderfulness that’s inside, what a treat to those who come to your home for the first time. Have a great day and don’t melt, ready for fall and some relief
Yes, it’s definitely classic architecture on the outside and a little bit salvage-y on the inside. I’m ready for some cooler weather for sure!
Wow how neat is that! I wish we could have gotten some info on our Railroad House other than Osjetea Briggs. It seems there is no one alive who knows anything about its beginnings. I have had many discussions with the lady who bought it from her but it seems weird that the house is not mentioned anywhere as it was probably the only thing on that road at one point. Supposedly it was built by Col. H.C. Swanson (Swanson-Bridges Cemetery is over near the RR Park too). I have spent some time in the library searching but I just cannot locate much on the Swanson’s and which daughter the house was built for. It is really something that you are sitting on a treasure that is permanently recorded for history’s sake. And that you have done such amazing work on it too. I look as though the place owns me rather than the other way too. We are stewards of history. We are responsible for preserving the past for the future. Someone else will one day love your place and hopefully it will be as much as you and Mark! Many blessings!
Bill