Preservation Garland will host its Olde Time Auction to raise funds for the restoration of the historic 1870s Tinsley/Lyles House Saturday, Nov. 5. The event opens with registration at 10 a.m. The presiding auctioneer, Mike Gaston of Caddo Mills, will begin at 11 a.m. Some interesting objects have been donated for the auction and donations are still being accepted.
The auction will take place at the Tinsley/Lyles house which now bears a legal address of 399 North Seventh Street in historic downtown Garland. In 2015, the house was moved to Heritage Crossing, near the corner of Walnut and Sixth Streets, where the Landmark Museum is housed in the restored Santa Fe Depot and the Pullman Coach Car #582 is on display.
Built by William A. Tinsley in the late 1800s at Austin and First streets, the house is prominent in Garland’s history. The history is significant not only because it is the oldest surviving home in Garland but also because Tinsley gave right of way on his land to several railroad companies which later led to the formation of Garland.
R.H. Lyles purchased the home from Tinsley in 1902. More than 60 years later, Jay Jones purchased the structure from the Lyles family and donated it to the city of Garland. In 1979, the house was relocated to the former Heritage Park location where it stood until being moved to its current Heritage Crossing location.
The Tinsley/Lyles house, along with the Pace House, another historic Garland home, had been scheduled for demolition by the city. However, the Pace House was fortunately returned to residential use and the Tinsley/Lyles House was relocated to Heritage Crossing.
To Garland’s historic preservation advocates, the decision to save these homes marks significant progress in the city’s stance on respecting and saving history. The Tinsley/Lyles House represents Garland’s early history and should be restored and maintained for both present and future generations.
Preservation Garland is a nonprofit organization. Contributors and auction customers not only assist with the restoration of a historic structure, but also gain tax deductions.