Long considered a visionary and driving force behind the growth of our city, Frank Kell moved to Wichita Falls in 1896 at the urging of his brother-in-law, Joseph Kemp.  The two men were involved in the grain industry, the development of Lake Wichita, the utilities companies, the newspaper, the streetcar system, the railroad, the local college, and much more.  In 1909, Mr. Kell purchased the land on the bluff overlooking downtown and, with his sister-in-law Mrs. Minnie Mae Addickes serving as contractor, he built a home for his family.

            The Kell family home was occupied by Miss Willie May Kell after the death of her parents. When Miss Kell passed away in 1980, the Kell House was purchased and restored by the Wichita County Heritage Society, and the Kell House Museum opened in 1981.

            The Kell House is one of the most historically and architecturally significant buildings in Wichita Falls. The Museum features distinctive architecture designed by the local firm of Jones and Orlopp, original family furnishings, textiles, decorative arts, and historic costumes. Guided tours of this local, state, and national landmark provide a fascinating history of this area’s early settlement and of the Kell family.

Kell House Museum
900 Bluff Street
Wichita Falls, Texas 76301
(940)723-2712
(940)723-6592 (fax)
kellhouse1909@yahoo.com

The Kell Family in 1910:
Left to Right
Back: Joseph, Carrie, Bess, Willie May, Sadie
Front: Mary Jo, Lula Kemp Kell, Frank Kell, Sybil, Emma Frances Stinnett Kemp