About the Inn

History of "the Harbour"

About the owners, Bill & Betty Moss ...

Bill was born in Oklahoma and reared in Kansas, and Betty was born and reared in Texas. They met in 1978 in Ft. Worth, Texas, while attending a General Motors Sales Management Seminar. Bill was General Manager of a Chevrolet Dealership in Wichita, Kansas, and Betty was a District Sales Manager for Chevrolet Motor Division-General Motors Corporation, headquartered in Beaumont, Texas.  When Bill told his Mom he had met a "Texas gal" from Stephenville and her parents had a farm in Dublin, his Mom told him that his Grandparents were MARRIED in Dublin! "Small World"!  Betty and her two daughters, ages 8 & 13, moved to Wichita, Kansas December, 1978, and Bill and Betty were married.

Twenty years later God gave them the vision to open a Bed and Breakfast in Granbury, Texas and allow Betty to be closer to relatives in nearby Stephenville.  1998 was a very eventful year for them!  After many major changes in their lives, Bill "retired" from car sales, and Betty "retired" from corporate life with Columbia/HCA Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas to move to this wonderful property on beautiful Lake Granbury.  They moved Labor Day weekend, 1998. 

After five months of renovations, preparations, extended family work weekends, and lessons in patience, Baker St. Harbour Waterfront Bed and Breakfast finally became a reality! Bill & Betty entertained their first guests Valentine's Day weekend, 1999, and have been blessed many times over since then with guests who entered as strangers, and have become life-long Christian friends.  They were honored to have their home highlighted on the December 2001 Granbury Candlelight Tour of Homes, and again December, 2004.  February 12, 2008 will mark their ninth anniversary as innkeepers.

Betty and Bill's mission here at "the harbour" is to create a peaceful and memorable experience for your stay in Granbury. God has richly blessed them with a wonderful haven where you can relax and "drink in" the wonders of HIS world, and they want to share it with you!  Many of you have been their guests, and written in their guest books.  If you would like to share your experiences with other travelers, they would appreciate it if you would post your comments at Trip Advisor ~ Guest Review ~ Baker St. Harbour B&B OR, BedandBreakfast.com on-line B&B Directory.

Have you often thought that you would enjoy being an INNKEEPER, one of the most envied professions in the world?  The Hospitality Accommodations of Texas (HAT)  "Innkeeping in Texas" Resource Manual  can be a very valuable resource for aspiring as well as seasoned innkeepers in Texas.   Let "HAT" help reduce YOUR learning curve!  For information about upcoming workshops, region meetings, and conventions, see the Hospitality Accommodations of Texas (HAT) website, e-mail HAT's corporate office at info@hat.org or call 1-800-HAT-0368.   Due to some health issues and the desire to travel, Betty & Bill have their Lake Granbury Bed and Breakfast listed for sale.  See their listing at Inns for Sale, Hospitality Accommodations of Texas (HAT).  Mark your calendar NOW for the HAT 2008 Convention & Trade Show Celebrating HAT's 25th Anniversary ~ August 24 - 26, at the Wingate by Windham in Round Rock, details forthcoming. 

About the house ..

In January 1892, Samuel B. and Nannie Milliken Lancaster purchased the tract of land that we now know as Baker St. Harbour Bed & Breakfast. It was purchased from Robert Milliken, Nannie's brother. The Milliken family had moved to Granbury from Kentucky where their father had 3 mail routes. Samuel B. Lancaster was Postmaster in Granbury in 1894. They lived in the home until December 12, 1899, when a single female named Martha Wright (the second wife of Jack Wright ~ the first sheriff of Granbury) purchased the property ~ almost two acres ~ for $990! She continued to live in the house until 1926.

The house was sold and leased to the Willie Edgar Martin family, and was the birthplace of his grandson, William Cody Martin, Sr.  William Cody Martin, owner of Martin's Office Supply, Granbury, recounts stories about his grandfather, William Edgar sitting on the back porch with his 30-30 rifle shooting at wolves and coyotes that were trying to kill the sheep that he ran on the property to the west and south. Other families owning the house include B. W. and Milton Kennon, and the Willie Mhoon family (1968 - 1993). Visits with Carole Mhoon reveal some interesting history.


The original tract included several feet of property included in property just to the east. The T.C. Mitchells, needed more land to plant a garden, so the Mhoons sold them part of their land. Needless to say, they shared the harvest! The old windmill caught the brunt of a windstorm in '89, & the blade was ripped right off, leaving only the twisted legs, which were later covered with vines. Carole said her children used to play in the attic where they could go almost all the way around the house in the crawl space! They also added vinyl siding in the 70's, and painted all the original woodwork dark brown. The original kitchen was much smaller.  They lowered the ceilings to 10' throughout downstairs; and built the original steps down to the Brazos River, where they often fished & had family gatherings. This was also the site of The Old Settlers Reunion years ago. Carole was very intrigued with all the changes since they owned the house.

We're quite sure that when the Lancasters purchased the land in the 1890's, they had no idea it would someday become the beautiful, peaceful Christian setting for romantic getaways, weddings, birthday celebrations, & other special events that it is today! It's a wonderful place called 'the harbour', in Granbury, Texas ~ "Branson on the Brazos".

The saga continues .. Fall, 2005

In the fall of 2005, Bill's sister from Arkansas called and said she discovered an old family Bible with dates and locations, and that their grandparents on his Dad's side (Moss) had spent time in Graham, Texas.  Research at the Young County Courthouse quickly revealed their names in the first Volume Bill and Betty reviewed.  A few months later, Bill's sister shared that their grandparents were not married in Dublin, they were married in GRANBURY! Now, this is beginning to get very interesting! Bill went to the Hood County Courthouse, Granbury, and found their marriage license. He has since discovered that his great grandfather, William Monroe Brazell, is buried at Rock Church Cemetery, just 17 miles southwest of Granbury! Talk about a small world! Descendents and friends of Rock Church pioneers have a Rock Church Homecoming every October.  Bill and Betty attended in 2005, along with friends Ralph and Sue Seibert and Dianne and Dub Martin. Dianne is a descendent of the Jackson family in this little community.  It seems Bill has a lot more Texas ties than he thought!



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