The City Council recently discussed the fate of the Tinsley-Lyles house, which many believe to be the oldest house in Garland. Others disagree. Built in the 1890s by William Tinsley, the home was purchased by R.H. Lyles in 1902. In 1979, it was relocated to the former location of the Landmark Museum and the Pace House near the corner of State and Fifth streets. In 2015 it was relocated to Heritage Crossing, the current site of Landmark Museum, at Sixth Street and Walnut Street.
According to police reports, the house has been breached five times since 2016. When city staff inspected it, they found significant instability. There is extensive damage on the porches and deterioration of the the doors and windows. In addition, they found wood rot issues and metal rust problems. There were also holes where rodents/animals have entered the structure. And, there is a cable that keeps one of the porches attached to the house.
District 2 Council Member Deborah Morris described some possible options: demolition at a cost of $16,736; renovation at an estimated cost of $108,000; and complete restoration with an estimated cost of $265,100, plus demolition cost.
Morris also mentioned a creative idea that had been presented. It includes a possible partnership with Garland ISD architecture students. She said that since the Tinsley-Lyles house is no longer salvageable, the city could ask the students to create a miniature scale model of the house.
The model could then be displayed at one of the libraries or the Landmark Museum.
District 8 Council Member Robert J. Smith said that this would create an educational opportunity for the architecture students. They would have a unique opportunity to learn about a construction method that was used in the past.
“We know we are beyond the point of no return with Garland’s oldest home, but we are looking for some way to preserve it that makes sense and is portable and isn’t a public safety nightmare,” Smith said.
Smith added that GISD’s Gilbreath-Reed Career & Technical Center has an architectural program and the students are always looking for projects. 
“I think with a small donation from the city, we could certainly pitch this their way and see if it’s something they are actually interested in doing,” Smith said. “If they are not, no harm, no foul. We move on with demolition and get it done.”
He added that it would be a win for everyone if the youth could be educated on a type of early construction, create an interesting artifact and provide some form of preservation of Garland’s oldest house.
District 3 Council Member B.J. Williams added that he’d like the house’s history displayed alongside the model for educational purposes. District 5 Council Member Margaret Lucht asked if samples of the woodwork along the top of the house could be saved.
Mayor Scott LeMay indicated that he is in favor of pursuing the possibility of having the model created. The vote to continue with this plan was unanimous.