The 10-year anniversary of Garland’s Historic Pace House relocation will be celebrated with two events Saturday, Oct. 12. The turn-of-the-century Queen Anne-style Victorian home, long in use as a city of Garland event center, transitioned into the Travis College Hill National Register Historic District in October 2014 and became a private residence.
Professional movers relocated the structure from an area behind city hall to 317 South 11th Street where it returned to its original use as a dwelling. It has been the site of numerous public tours at Christmas and on other occasions.
Everyone is welcome to attend a 10 a.m. ceremony on the Pace House front porch to acknowledge the anniversary, recognize city officials and others that assisted with the move as well as recognize members of the Pace family. The home was originally the main farmhouse on a cotton farm owned by John and Nina Pace. Make plans to stay for refreshments after the ceremony.
From 1-3 p.m. a free public showing of the award-winning documentary “Saving Magic 11th Street” will take place in Epiphany Gallery at 622 West State Street in downtown Garland. The 23-minute documentary featuring the 2014 move of the house and the fanfare surrounding it, will be shown continuously and refreshments will be served.
The frame dwelling was first moved in 1985 from its original site on State at First streets when the city’s planned widening of First Street necessitated the move. The house was refurbished for public use with the bulk of the work performed by trades students from several Garland ISD schools. As an event center it was the venue for numerous weddings, political rallies, anniversaries, graduation luncheons, art exhibits and other events.
In 2013 when the city officials decided to use the space where the Pace House sat to build transit-oriented housing, they contemplated the Pace House’s future and at one point agreed to demolish it. Concerned citizens asked for some time to find a suitable relocation lot. After a nationwide competitive bidding process, the city agreed to give the dwelling to the most appropriate bidder that would pay to move it. A lot in the Travis College Hill National Register Historic District, about six blocks from downtown, was chosen. Priority was given to keeping the dwelling in Garland in a historic area. 11th-Street residents Louis and Kay Moore now privately own the home.
Any individual that was honored at an event at the Pace House when it was a city-owned facility from 1985 to 2013 will be recognized at the 10 a.m. Oct. 12 celebration. Please contact friendsofgarlandsmagic11thstreet@yahoo.com.
These events are sponsored by the nonprofit organization, Friends of Garland’s Historic Magic 11th Street.