Scott-Barker House

Jun 5

Built around 1880, the Scott-Barker House is the oldest remaining building in the rapidly developing city of Melissa, originally laid out in 1872 along the Houston & Texas Central Railroad north of Dallas. The two-story frame house, built on an L-plan, has distinctive dormer windows topped with unusual Mansard-style roofs. The house was restored in the 1990s and designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1999 before it was purchased by the City of Melissa for civic use.

Like other communities in the region, Melissa has rapidly urbanized over the last two decades leading to the destruction of many of its historic buildings. In 2024, a 2.4 million dollar bond proposition to rehabilitate the building into city offices failed, casting doubt on the future of the oldest house in Melissa. Community members seek a creative adaptive reuse solution that would enable the one-of-a-kind house to remain on its original site as a tangible link to Melissa's 19th-century origins.

UPDATE: As of March of 2025, the City of Melissa has come to an agreement with a private individual to move the Scott-Barker House approximately 850 feet northeast of its current location for use as a single-family residence. This decision was made to ensure the long-term preservation of the structure and to maintain its role in contributing to Melissa’s historic character. The individual selected for the project brings experience in historic renovation and a commitment to preserving the home in alignment with recognized preservation standards.