Smith-Garner House

Mrs. Rebecca Garner, former Professor of Home Economics (Family and Consumer Sciences) at Henderson and widow of the late Erwin W. Garner, long-time Vice President for Financial Affairs at Henderson, deeded her house located at 324 North 12th Street to the Henderson State University Foundation in September of 1999. H. Grady Smith, former Business Manager and Trustee of Henderson, built the English cottage-style house in 1932. The house was the residence of Mr. Smith, and his wife, Lois McNabb Smith, Professor and Chair of the Music Department at Henderson until their deaths in the 1980s. Erwin Garner acquired the house following Mr. Smith's death. The Garners made extensive improvements to the property. Mr. Garner died in 1995.

The Foundation moved its board room and offices for Dr. John Hall, Treasurer, and Mrs. Tanya Dixon, Financial Officer, to the house. It also made the space available to the Henderson Alumni Association for alumni board meetings and receptions. Some of the Alumni Association furniture from the former alumni house on Henderson Street was placed in the Smith-Garner House.

In April of 2021, the international students of Henderson moved out of their affectionately titled IHOP (International House of People) building due to its lack of fire sprinklers. The Smith-Garner House, which by this time was shared by the Comics Arts Club and Institutional Review Board, served as a new gathering place and hangout. In the fall of 2022, the three groups packed out their things, and the house was eventually sold by the university in 2025.