{"nrhp_refnum":"78002888","name":"Ferguson House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"518 N. 7th St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Temple","county":"Bell County","state":"TX","lat":31.103059639000037,"lon":-97.34339549499998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-12-08","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Politics/Government"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-and-a-half-story frame house at 518 North 7th Street in Temple, Bell County, Texas, built in 1907 with an accompanying carriage house. It was built as the home of James Ferguson.","why_significant":"The house was the residence of James and Miriam Ferguson, known as \"Pa\" and \"Ma\", whose Populist political style shaped Texas government for about twenty-five years. They were the first husband and wife elected governors of any state, and Miriam was the first woman elected governor of Texas. The nomination states that no other site has a strong association with them.","narrative":"Built in 1907 at 518 North 7th Street in Temple, this frame house is an example of early twentieth century vernacular architecture with a Queen Anne-style asymmetrical plan. Upper and lower galleries wrap the front and southern corner, supported by Doric and Ionic columns. Original features include beveled glass doors, pine panelling, lattice garden walls and the staircase. A carriage house of similar character stands on the property. The house was built by James Ferguson, who founded the Texas State Bank of Temple that year. He and his wife Miriam, both raised in Bell County, later became Texas governors. They were the first husband and wife elected to a governorship, and Miriam was the first woman elected governor of Texas. The family lived here between political offices and kept the house as rental property until selling it in 1941. It was divided into apartments in the 1950s and was being restored as a single-family home when nominated.","period_of_significance":"1907-1932","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Early twentieth century vernacular, with Queen Anne influence in its asymmetrical plan","criteria":[],"status_note":"Divided into apartments in the 1950s; at the time of nomination it was being restored as a single-family residence, and the condition was marked good.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:18.814422-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/66/9710/40971066/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/78002888.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40971066","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110001540"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/bell-county/ferguson-house-78002888/"}