Built in 1909 by Frank Kell for his wife Lula and children Joseph, Carrie, Bess, Sadie, Mary Jo, Sybil and Willie May, this home was and still is one of Wichita Falls most beautiful and historically significant land marks.
Willie May was the last member of the Kell family to live in the home, which she did until her death in 1980. Miss Kell was an avid gardener to say the least. She traveled all over the world and brought back many different plants with her from those travels. She was very well versed in what was growing in her gardens, including knowing the Latin and common names for each.
After Miss Kell’s death, the Wichita County Historic Society purchased the home and have worked tirelessly to preserve and maintain this piece of Wichita County history. Unfortunately, when the home was purchased, the grounds had been neglected due to Miss Kell’s declining health. Over the years, the members of the WCHS have worked to keep what they could of Miss Kell’s garden’s going, and there are still plantings on the ground that were her doing.
In 2009, Master Gardener Betty McCulley brought the idea of having the Master Gardeners work with the Kell House staff and Historic Society, to begin working to restore the garden areas where we could, with the plants that were there with Miss Kell was alive. Fortunately one of the Board Members knew there were pictures and color slides Miss Kell had taken of the grounds, with notes in her handwriting, which have been an invaluable research tool. Betty, along with Master Gardener Rae Paris, have discovered in their search for more information on the gardens, that Miss Kell was apparently doing her own research study on lilies.
Another great source of help for the Master Gardeners, has been Curtis Smith, of Smith’s Gardentown Farms. In 2009, Mr. Smith met with several of the MG’s and members of the WCHS board to talk about his memories of Miss Kell and her gardens. He described in great detail what he remembered growing on the property, the layout of the beds and the vast knowledge Miss Kell had of all that was there as well her extensive collection of house plants.
Armed with the information that has been gathered, Betty and Rae, along with the staff of the Kell House and Board of Directors, are moving forward in 2011 to plan and design gardens that will restore Willie May’s legacy, while using the principals of the EarthKind Landscaping program, to help reduce watering, fertilizer and pesticide use.
In 2010, the Master Gardeners helped to facilitate the removal of a number of trees growing at the Kell House to open up the “back garden area”, that had become far too shaded over the years. After that work was done, low and behold, things started coming up in the flower beds, that had not been seen in years,including several different lilies, iris and and Byzantine Gladiolus. For 2011, thanks to fund raising efforts, there will be two new arbors at the entries to the fountain area of the garden.
Due to construction on the home itself to stabilize the foundation and replace the French drain system, the work will be slowed down and restricted to certain areas on the grounds for this year. As we all see this as long term partnership, we will move along this path, working when and where we can, being grateful this historic home was saved for future generations to enjoy, doing our part to ensure Willie May’s gardens are around for very long time, for all to enjoy and learn from.