We are a 501c3 Exempt Charitable Organization
Bee County Historical Society maintains the Historic McClanahan House at 206 E. McClanahan had come with his family to Texas in the 1850”s hoping that the change would improve his wife’s health. He lived in Goliad for awhile and was a Principle of the Paine Female Institute for a brief time. When Bee County and Beeville were established in 1858, he mo
ved to Beeville. Here, he started the first general store, buying lots across from the Courthouse, paying $11.00 for one of them. A smaller building was used at first, but in 1867 the construction of this building was started. The first floor was a large room, where groceries, dry goods and hardware could be bought. One corner was used for the post office. He and his wife also had classes for the children of the community until a school was built. He also taught Sunday school in this house. The upper floor was used for temporary lodgings for people who were passing through. After a number of years McClanahan sold the store to M. Roberts and moved to Corpus Christi. When his wife died there, in an epidemic of yellow fever, he returned to Beeville where he lived until his death. As time passed the building had various uses. A doctor once lived upstairs and had his office downstairs. A speaking tube was connected to the front porch. Knight moved to Beeville, bought the building, and converted it into a comfortable home with bedrooms upstairs and living room, dining room, and kitchen downstairs. Eventually, the older members of the family died and it was used as rent property. By the late 1950’s parking space for the Courthouse was needed, and the building was going to be torn down. Through the efforts of the Bee County Historical Society it was saved from destruction. The Society bought it from the Knight family for $600.00 and the County moved it to its present site in the early 1960’s. Since then, it has been the project of the Society to restore it and furnish it with furniture and mementos of the early days of Beeville.
