{"nrhp_refnum":"83003131","name":"Aston Building","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"113 S. Main St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Farmersville","county":"Collin County","state":"TX","lat":33.16287978200006,"lon":-96.35966669199996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1983-06-30","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story Victorian commercial row building of rusticated limestone at 113 South Main Street, just southeast of the town square in Farmersville, Texas. It was built in 1888 for merchant W.S. Aston by contractor W.S. Flynn.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is one of the most intact and sophisticated High Victorian commercial structures in Farmersville, combining Italianate and Romanesque elements. Its rock-faced limestone facade and original tin cornice bearing the Aston name make it a distinctive link to the town's early prosperity. It is also tied to W.S. Aston, a locally prominent merchant and bank director.","narrative":"Just southeast of the town square in Farmersville, Texas, the Aston Building is a two-story commercial row building finished in 1888 for merchant W.S. Aston. Contractor W.S. Flynn of Honey Grove built it with a heavily rusticated limestone front, three round-arch ground-floor entrances, and a tin cornice that carries the Aston name in raised letters. The design blends the Italianate entablature with the rough-cut stonework of Romanesque Revival. Aston planned a store on the ground floor and a residence above; the upper level later became two apartments, and the ground floor housed a bowling alley and a plumbing and sheet metal shop. Aston also served as a bank director and as a board member of the Looney-Dowlin Male and Female Academy. The building is regarded as one of the most intact High Victorian commercial structures in town and closely resembles the nearby Times Building, also built in 1888. It remained in the Aston family until 1978 and was awaiting rehabilitation.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899 (specific date 1888)","architect_builder":"Builder, W.S. Flynn","architectural_style":"High Victorian commercial, with Italianate and Romanesque elements","criteria":[],"status_note":"Unoccupied and used for storage; in need of repair but appears structurally sound. Rehabilitation plans were prepared but work had not begun.","vacant_flag":true,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:18.686128-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/20/9715/40971520/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/83003131.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"100000670","name":"Farmersville Commercial Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/texas/farmersville-commercial-historic-district-100000670/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40971520","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110000394"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/collin-county/aston-building-83003131/"}