2 minute read
HISTORY
from Sealy, Texas
A Look at the Past
Sealy has deep roots in Austin County
Sealy, located at the intersection of I-10 and Hwy 36 (just 48 miles west of Houston) in south central Austin County, was formed as a railroad town in 1879. Once part of the San Felipe de Austin Town Corporation land was sold to the railroad and named to honor George Sealy, a Galveston railroad director. Sealy became a commercial shipping center and many of the early residents were railroad employees.
In 1889 a fire on Front Street obliterated the wooden commercial property near the railroad. Sealy experienced a series of misfortunes, including a disastrous Brazos River flood in 1899, the relocation of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe division headquarters to Bellville in January of the next year, and the devastating hurricane of 1900, which struck in September. The establishment, however, of such manufacturing enterprises as the Sealy Mattress Factory, the Engleking Brothers Broom Factory, and the Sealy National Bank helped to build the commercial reputation with their help the town rebuilt and today is the largest town in the County.
Sealy’s claim to fame comes from the world famous Sealy Mattress. Although no Sealy mattresses were ever manufactured here, Daniel Haynes (ca. 1885) perfected the technique and equipment patents in Sealy which he later sold in 1889 to a group of investors who went on to make the Sealy Mattress a household name.
Browsing through Sealy’s Historic Downtown area with antique and gift shops, quaint cafés, museums, some housed in historic buildings along with many shopping districts throughout the city are a great start to any weekend. Many historic period homes abound in and around town to add to your enjoyment.
The Hackbarth House
John and Louise Hackbarth were two of Sealy’s very earliest residents. The Hackbarths were born in Texas in the mid-1800s. Their parents were from Germany. John and Louise built a twostory brick mercantile store on the northwest corner of Main and Front Streets in 1880. The Hackbarths built the small house that is currently located within the Sealy Historical Park and placed it behind their store. This is where they lived for the first few years they resided in Sealy.
In the early 1900s the Hackbarths tore down their two-story brick grocery store and built a new store in the same location. In the 1930s that store was torn down and a new building was constructed to house the U.S. Post Office. That building still stands.
In the late 1800s the Hackbarths built a Victorian style house at the corner of 5th Street and Eagle Lake Road. They moved their small house and attached it to the rear of their new, much larger house. In 1924, the Hackbarths tore down their Victorian style house to build a new Craftsman style home. Their small house was placed in the back yard behind their new house. The 1924 Craftsman still stands in its original location.
In 1989, their daughter, Mrs. Irma Hackbarth Datweiler, donated their small house to the Sealy Area Historical Society.
