Foundation Work Begins at Historic Miss Belle’s House

Work is now underway on the next phase of improvements to Miss Belle's House, one of Richardson's most significant historic landmarks.

The City of Richardson has hired contractors to install foundation beams and make exterior repairs to the two-story Victorian home, which was built between 1886 and 1889 and is recognized as the oldest building in Richardson and a Texas Historic Landmark.

As part of the work, the home was moved about 30 feet on-site this week to allow a foundation contractor to begin preparing the structure for new support. Crews are expected to begin tying steel, with drilling for house piers scheduled to start Monday, July 6. Foundation work is expected to take less than 10 days, weather permitting.

The work follows the relocation of Miss Belle's House to Huffhines Park, where it now sits in its permanent location near community amenities including Duck Creek Trail and Huffhines Recreation Center. The move marked the first step in a broader effort to preserve the home and prepare it for future restoration and possible educational programming.

The house is named for Virginia Bell "Miss Belle" Robberson, a longtime Richardson teacher who operated a private school from the home for nearly 40 years. Over its lifetime, the home has been moved several times, opened for supervised tours, and preserved as a connection to Richardson's earliest days.

The current foundation and exterior repair work is expected to be complete by the end of summer. Future phases are expected to focus on restoration and renovation efforts that will help prepare the house to serve as a cultural and educational hub for future generations.

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