Wanda and Bob Sibley of Houston, Texas purchased the property in 1975. For the first 2 years of ownership the property was a family respite from the busy life of Houston. In the late 1990’s the Sibley’s had a vision for the property to be used as a retreat center. They added facilities to accommodate 36 people. The Sibley’s spent their retirement years ministering to others through Holly Cove. Mrs. Sibley named the facility for the lakefront cove it is located on and for the abundance of Holly trees found in the woods. In 2019 the property was gifted by the Sibley’s to the First Baptist Church of Vidor, Texas. The new owners expanded the facilities to it’s current capacity. In 2026 the property was leased to The Holly Cove Conference and Retreat Center Inc.