The house is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, and a 1973 Texas Historical Marker by the door provides some background:
Victorian house built in 1900 by Herman L. and Katy Stricker, business, civic, social leaders. Stricker was a jeweler; his wife, daughter of Confederate General William H. Hamman. Mrs. Stricker led in movement to erect League of Women's meeting house, now the Calvert Library building.
In 1913, banker H. Marvin Sneed and his wife Cara (Weber) bought the house; their heirs sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Kimbrough Gray, 1970.
The Live Oak trees that shade the house are all descended from acorns from the "Century Tree" at Texas A&M, planted around 1913. Walter will tell you that they nearly lost them to disease some years ago, but thanks to a purchase of a mind-boggling number of aphids, they knocked out the disease and by doing so also helped out their neighbors with their own tree troubles.
There are four guest rooms here, all upstairs. The Princess has a door leading out to the front balcony, while one can get there through a window in the Pin Oak. Or, if the Princess is unoccupied, feel free to pass through and enjoy your morning coffee out on the porch. The trees block you from seeing much of the park or the cemetery across the streets, but they're still a beautiful view. Out in the hallway, there's a Keurig machine and a refrigerator with bottled water.
There are two shared bathrooms, right next to each other. The larger of the two has a clawfoot tub, while the other is simply a toilet, sink, and shower.
There are plenty of other rooms where you can stretch out, and they even offer free, secure wi-fi on three different channels. If you're planning to plug in your gadgets, your own room is your best bet. The speeds aren't the greatest, but scuttlebutt around town is that faster Internet is "coming soon." Each room has a television, if that's your thing.
They will treat you like family here. Breakfast is downstairs in the dining room at 9 AM, unless you make other arrangements. Walter will feed you well and keep your coffee cup filled, and if you have dietary needs, he'll be happy to accommodate you. If you're historically-minded, he's very knowledgeable about the area history, and Jenny handled the revision of the Chamber of Commerce's tour guide (see Area Attractions, below). The stained glass window on the book is one of the windows here, in fact.
Sorry, ghost chasers, you're out of luck here: The Qualls have owned the house for several decades now, and advise that if you see something, let them know, as there's been nothing unusual just yet. For those terrified of things that go bump in the night, high winds may drop things from the trees onto the roof, but other than the creaks that you'd expect from a Victorian era home, it's very quiet here. You may not even hear the other guests.
Unless you make other arrangements, check-in is before 6 PM, and checkout is 11 AM. If you're planning to be out late, they'll provide you with an access code. Also, as Calvert is a small town, the shops and dining may not be open when you expect, so be prepared to drive just a few minutes south to Hearne, especially in the evening and night hours.