The Grove

to receive our newsletter - you will receive a confirmation email that, for security, you'll have to reply to. This is for your protection; it keeps people from fraudently signing other people to the GroveZine. Rest assured, your email address will never be traded, sold or abused! Welcome to The Grove, a historic property in the old riverport city... of Jefferson, Texas. The Grove is a private residence and tour home in the old Stephen Smith Land Grant section of town. The house was built in 1861 by Frank and Minerva Stilley. It had one structural change in 1870, the addition of a room to join the detached kitchen to the house, and another change in the 1930's when an indoor bathroom was added and the side porch enclosed. Other than that, the house stands pretty much as it did back in 1861. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Parks Service, and has been designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission. The house has been said to be one of the most haunted locations in the Lone Star State. The ghost stories go back over 100 years at this 1861 home, and the first indication that something odd might be happening there was in 1882 when a man named T.C. Burke purchased the home. He moved his family in, and then moved right back out; the only explanation he gave was, "We cant live there..." Prominent spirits are a lady in a white dress that always takes the same path through the house when she appears, a man in the garden who is often seen striding through the Lily beds as if late for an appointment, and a mischievous entity in the den that seems to be particular fond of the ladies. Read the book that tells the tale! Finally - the complete story of The Grove from the pre-history of the property to the current-day owners... and everything in between. You'll find the spirits of the house: the Lady in White, the Garden Guy, even Charlie Young, the barber who lived there in 1885 but has come back for a visit. One hundred and fifty years worth of ...Read More