Oldest Magnolia residence still stands

Believed by local historians to be Magnolia's oldest residence in its original location, the Dean family's home has been given new life for a new era.

Built in the early 1900s by William A. Dean Jr., the home saw Commerce Street before it serviced vehicles—when cattle roamed the dirt road. W. Dean lived in the house with his wife, Gertrude Crook, who was the daughter of the man responsible for laying railroad track on the I&GN Railroad between Houston and Fort Worth.

Local historian Celeste Graves said she remembers taking piano lessons from Gertrude in the front room of their home when she was a young girl.

"She was a music teacher and taught piano in her front room, and I have the knuckles to prove it," Graves said referring to Gertrude using a ruler to correct her students' posture. "She always had parties and games for the children in the area, too. It was something she just liked to do."

On Jan. 1, 1902, W. Dean and his two brothers, T.R. Dean and F.R. Dean opened Dean Bros. & Co., General Merchandise, in Magnolia where Magnolia Sign Source now stands. It sold everything from food to tools and became a staple in the community.

The store's continued success prompted W. Dean to build his home off Commerce Street on a piece of land across from his brother, T.R. Dean.

Before Gertrude and W. Dean married, Gertrude remained in Houston while her fianc began building their home and documenting it with pictures along the way. Matt Clark, Magnolia history enthusiast and director of Career and Technical Education at Magnolia ISD, said W. Dean's old Kodak is responsible for more than 100 pictures. The couple lived in the home until W. Dean died in 1963.

The Deans were actively involved in the community and had their hands in a variety of organizations. Gertrude was involved in the Magnolia Baptist Church where she played piano and acted as church treasurer, a leader of the Girl's Auxiliary and the Women's Missionary Union. When he was not running the general store, W. Dean acted as president of the First State Bank of Magnolia.

More than a century after W. Dean built his humble abode, another Magnolia family is bent on ensuring it remains a marker of the city's history. Matt and Gina Clark purchased the home in February 2012, and while keeping the home's original structure and aesthetic intact as much as possible, renovated the structure for Gina to use as an office for her accounting business.

"I have always loved old homes," Gina said. "When we walked into it and just saw the character of the home, we just fell in love with it. We found handwritten notes and recipes on the wallpaper when we tore down the existing wallpaper, and it just felt like you were part of a history of the home."

Source: "Magnolia Memories" by Celeste Graves