History
BY JACOB VAUGHN
Chuck Jennings, left, and Peggy Riddle help maintain and furnish the Gibson-Grant Log House.
JACOB VAUGHN COMMUNITY IMPACT
The interior of the Gibson-Grant Log House is furnished by Denton County and maintained by Flower Mound.
The restoration of the Gibson-Grant Log House began in 2020 and was completed in 2024.
COURTESY THE TOWN OF FLOWER MOUND COMMUNITY IMPACT
JACOB VAUGHN COMMUNITY IMPACT
Flower Mound’s Gibson-Grant Log House displays artifacts, to earn Texas Historic Landmark status
On May 3, the Gibson-Grant Log House, a restored 1800s structure in Flower Mound, will be designated as a Texas Historic Landmark. The Denton County Historical Commission and town o cials are hosting an event that day to mark the occasion starting at 10 a.m. at the Gibson-Grant Log House. How we got here The historic structure was encapsulated in a 1950s ranch house when it was discovered in 2015 by developer Curtis Grant, said Peggy Riddle, director of the Denton County O ce of History and Culture. Grant removed sheet rock from walls in the living room of the structure to nd logs that made up the original 16-feet-by-16-feet house that was once home to a man named William Gibson. Core samples of the logs and remaining chinking later determined they had been cut some time between 1857 and 1860, Riddle said. Records also showed the property had been a land grant from the Republic of Texas. It was settled by Gibson, who was the rst resident of the home. The home was expanded as lifestyles changed over the years. Before he discovered the historic nature of the structure, Grant had plans to demolish it and subdi- vide the property into residential lots. He contacted the Denton County O ce of History and Culture to report what he found. The o ce, along with the University of Arkansas Tree-Ring Laboratory,
determined it was likely built by settlers who came to Texas as part of the Peters Colony, the earliest settlement in Denton County. What happened? The town of Flower Mound acquired the property in 2015, creating a master plan for the home’s res- toration in 2018. Work began in 2020 to restore the house to its Phase 3 period, or triple-pen form with back extensions, retaining the early historic changes to the original single-pen house. The evolution of early Texas houses on the frontier is on display. As part of the restoration, the town removed concrete and gravel driveways, regraded the site to improve drainage, and removed board and batten siding and plywood. What else? Chuck Jennings, Flower Mound’s director of parks and recreation, said now the property is maintained by his department while Denton County furnishes the house. Some items on display came from Dallas’ Old City Park and other properties in Flower Mound, said Jacque Narrell, chair of the town’s historical commission. “What you see today is with the help of the town, private citizens and the Texas Historic Commission,” Riddle said.
Peggy Riddle points out a part of the original structure that makes up the Gibson-Grant Log House.
JACOB VAUGHN COMMUNITY IMPACT
QUAIL RUN RD.
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4860 Quail Run Road, Flower Mound 940-349-2850
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FLOWER MOUND HIGHLAND VILLAGE ARGYLE EDITION
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