Thomas Harvey (T. H.) Houston Papers

The collection contains the papers and photographs from the estate of Thomas Harvey (T. H.) Houston, a Methodist clergyman who served churches in Montgomery, Gadsden, Birmingham, and Huntsville, Alabama, Pensacola, Florida, and a number of other churches.

In the folder of photographs of Rev. T.H. Houston there is a sheet identifying Rev. Houston in each photo as there is nothing on the photos to identify him.

Among the photographs are pictures and postcards of the Gulfside Methodist Assembly in Waveland, Mississippi. Gulfside is a retreat originally founded to provide spiritual, educational, and recreational facilities to African Americans who, because of segregation, were denied access elsewhere. Robert Elijah Jones, the first African American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was speaking at a white Methodist campground in Ohio when he came up with the idea to establish a similar place for African Americans. Waveland, Mississippi, was settled on as centrally located on the Gulf Coast, Bishop Jones purchased land there in April 1923, and after some renovation of the one existing structure and building of new ones, Gulfside was opened. In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina completely destroyed Gulfside, leaving only the historical marker and a small burial ground where Bishop Jones and a few others are buried. Since 2006, Gulfside has functioned less as a retreat and more of a command center for the reconstruction of the area. Houses have also been built on the site.