Isabelle Simms House Museum - 1216 Wilson Street

This home once belonged to Isabella Simms who purchased this property and an adjacent lot in 1874. She was a widow at the time and worked as a domestic servant for several prominent employers. She was previously married to Charles, a wood hauler. Mrs. Simms was a neighbor and member of Reverend Jack Yates, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church. Rev. Yates, who was known to encourage his congregants to become property owners, assisted Mrs. Simms with the purchase of her lots.  In 1896 Isabella conveyed the north section of her property to Pauline Gray Lewis. In 1907 this is where Pauline and her husband Attorney J. Vance Lewis build their elegant home.

After Isabella’s death in 1915, her home remained in the Lewis family, and was used as rental property for several years. The R.B.H. Yates Museum purchased the property in 2007.  Isabella’s home is in the National Register Historic of Places and a City of Houston Protected Landmark. The home is currently used for archaeology instruction and field-work programs through a cooperative agreement between the R.B. H. Yates Museum and Lone Star College. The Freedmen’s Town Museums Houston is working to raise funds to repair and preserve it as a museum house for educators.