Sam Bell Maxey House State Historic Site
812 South Church Street
Paris TX 75460
903/785-5716
History: Sam Bell Maxey House State Historic Site, in Paris, Lamar County, was donated by the City of Paris in April 1976 and was opened to the public in 1980. The historic house sits on .4 acre.
Samuel Bell Maxey and his wife, Marilda, moved into their fashionable new home on the south side of Paris, Texas, in 1868. Built in the High Victorian Italianate style, the frame house, plus book house, and stable, were a progressive addition to the city's architecture and a proper home for the ex-Confederate general and later United States Senator. Maxey moved to Paris with his family 1857; construction began in 1867; remodeling was done in 1911; and members of the Maxey family lived in the house until 1966. A year later, it was given to the Lamar County Historical Society for a museum; in 1972, it was deeded to the City of Paris; and in 1976, the property was deeded to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for preservation. The House has been restored and furnished to reflect almost 100 years of continuous use by the Maxey family.
Sam Bell Maxey served in the Mexican War and Civil War and was a two-term
U.S. Senator. In March of 1971, the Maxey House was officially listed on the
National Register of Historical Places. Restoration was completed September
1, 1980, and it was opened to the public on a tour basis.
For more information on Samuel Bell Maxey visit the Lamar County web site at
http://gen.1starnet.com/civilwar/maxeybio.htm
Activities: This facility grounds are available to rent for weddings, receptions, and meetings.
Tours: The house is open for guided tours Friday (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.), Saturday (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), and Sunday (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.), and tour fees apply. Group tours may be arranged by prior reservations for Wednesday and Thursday. Contact the park.
Area Attractions: Nearby attractions include Bonham State Park and Cooper Lake State Park.
Facilities: You'll enjoy our Texas State Park Store.
Flora/Fauna: One hundred-year-old plus oak and pecan trees grace the grounds of the Sam Bell Maxey House. There are crepe myrtle, pear, hackberry, and dogwood trees that are also part of the history and background of the home. An owl family has made the cavities in the oak trees its home and a place to raise the young. Squirrels and various species of birds also reside in the trees around the Maxey House.
More information on the wildlife mentioned here:
Elevation: 592 ft.
Weather: Average January minimum 30;
average July maximum 94; average annual rainfall 45.0.
Schedule: Open Friday-Sunday 9 a.m. - 11a.m. and 1 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (closed from Noon-1pm). Closed Monday-Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day.
Directions: The park is located in the city of Paris on the corner of South Church and Washington Streets.
Current conditions including, fire bans & water levels, can vary from day to day. For more details, contact the park.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744