In 1873, the Brown family moved to the Larissa House. At this point the house only consisted of two rooms and a lean-to kitchen. W.A. Brown saw the home’s potential, though. He made substantial additions in 1874 and 1890, which turned the house into a real eyecatcher.

The Larissa House became a big part of Jacksonville’s heritage as it was passed down through the Brown family. W.A. Brown’s granddaughter, Betty, kept the house throughout her adult life and founded the Vanishing Texana Museum in Jacksonville. If you visit the museum you can see preserved mementos from the family.

The Larissa House stood neglected until the 1990s when the Stanfill family bought it. They meticulously restored the house and established it as a popular tearoom and restaurant while they used the upstairs as their home.

Fast forward to the present day. After traveling the world as missionaries, Christian and Emily moved back to East Texas. After falling in love with the Larissa House’s beauty and history, they bought and restored it to its former Victorian glory. They hope it’ll be a place where families can build great memories together.