North Texas city moves historic home, adding to collection that helps tell its story
.jpg "The Winfrey home is directed into its new location on 619 S. Church St. in Grapevine on Tuesday.")
Grapevine has moved the historic Winfrey House to the Settlement to City Museums, a group of 19th century buildings that highlights the community’s development to a thriving city.
Police officers blocked streets Tuesday as a truck hauling the one-story structure made its way down Main Street. Workers spent three hours on the 1.3-mile move from Shady Brook Drive to 619 S. Church St.
People lined the sidewalks, captivated by the sight of the historic home being carefully transported. Many pulled out their phones and took pictures and videos to capture the event.
The city said the Winfrey House addition at the Ted R. Ware Plaza will complete its collection of historic structures. Other buildings at the Settlement to City Museums include Donald Schoolhouse, Keeling House Museum and Grapevine’s Cotton Ginners Museum.
The buildings are used as museums to showcase Grapevine’s development from a settlement to a city, the history of public education and the history of the Grapevine cotton industry, which was a major economic force for 150 years.
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About the Winfreys
The Charles Edwin and Georgia Winfrey house was built in 1908 on East Franklin Street and was moved to Shady Brook Drive more than two decades ago. Charles Winfrey, a Tarrant County employee, and his wife, who was active in the community, were the longtime owners of the home.
The Winfrey family has deep roots in Grapevine. Charles’ mother, Willie Mae Starr, was the daughter of Barton Starr Sr., Grapevine’s first mayor, and the granddaughter of pioneer Daniel Starr, who helped establish the First United Methodist Church.
On his father’s side, Charles’ paternal grandmother was Mary Elizabeth Lucas, daughter of Wingate and Cornelia Lucas, who were significant farmers and merchants. They founded Grapevine’s still-operating funeral home business.
The Winfrey family also had strong ties to the Willhoite family. Charles’ aunt, Bertie Winfrey, married Wiley Willhoite, who served on the Grapevine City Council and school board. The Willhoite and Winfrey families were prominent on Main Street, engaging in various businesses together and independently, including farm implements (Winfrey & Willhoite Hardware & Implement Co.), feed (Ted’s Feed Store) and automotive garage (Willhoite’s Garage).
Other houses moved by the city include:
▪ The Robertson farmhouse, built in 1905 by R.J. Roberson. It was moved from Flower Mound to 609 Dooley St. in March 2020.
▪ Bushong cabin, built in 1858 by George Emmanuel Bushong near the location of the Gaylord Texan. It was moved to Liberty Park Plaza on Main Street in July 2024.
This initiative represents Grapevine’s commitment to preserving structures that embody its cultural and civic legacy, ensuring future generations can connect with the stories that shaped the community.