{"nrhp_refnum":"91000575","name":"Dobie, J. Frank, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"702 E. 26th St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Austin","county":"Travis County","state":"TX","lat":30.289489493000076,"lon":-97.73256192399998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1991-05-20","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Literature"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 1 1/2-story Colonial Revival frame house at 702 E. 26th Street in Austin, Texas, beside Waller Creek near the University of Texas campus. It was built in 1925-26 by C.H. Toungate and enlarged in 1950, and a contemporaneous garage is included.","why_significant":"The house was the home of author and University of Texas professor J. Frank Dobie from 1926 until his death in 1964. He wrote the works that brought national attention to Texas and Southwest folklore there, and many of his prefaces are signed \"On Waller Creek.\" The nomination argues statewide significance in literature under Criterion B, and the house retains its integrity because the 1950 remodelling matched the original materials and detailing.","narrative":"Close to the northeastern edge of the University of Texas campus in Austin, this 1 1/2-story Colonial Revival house was built in 1925-26 on sloping land beside Waller Creek. Builder C.H. Toungate put up the white weatherboard house as a speculative project, and J. Frank and Bertha Dobie bought it in November 1926. Dobie, a University of Texas English professor, wrote there the books and articles that drew national attention to the folklore and literature of Texas and the Southwest, including Coronado's Children and The Longhorns. He often signed his prefaces \"On Waller Creek,\" and he gathered with fellow writers Walter Prescott Webb and Roy Bedichek under the great elm in the backyard. A 1950 addition designed by architect Carlton Brush enlarged his library and office while matching the original materials and details. A detached garage also contributes. After years of deferred maintenance, the property was rehabilitated in 1988-89. It is recognized for its statewide importance in literature.","period_of_significance":"1926-1964","architect_builder":"Builder: C.H. Toungate; Architect: Carlton Brush (1950 remodelling)","architectural_style":"Colonial Revival","criteria":["B"],"status_note":"Returned to excellent physical condition by a rehabilitation in 1988-89; still used as a single dwelling.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:21.711861-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/29/9738/40973829/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/91000575.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/91000575/35c5564ab7-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/91000575/35c5564ab7-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"RayAYang","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:J_Frank_Dobie_House.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">RayAYang</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:J_Frank_Dobie_House.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40973829","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Frank_Dobie_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14710531"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/travis-county/dobie-j-frank-house-91000575/"}