Church Street Historic District

South of downtown Paris, Texas, this 37-acre neighborhood along Church Street, South Main and nearby streets contains 83 properties, most of them houses and two churches. Construction ranges from an 1868 Italianate-detailed house on a Greek Revival plan to Prairie School and Bungalow homes of the 1920s. A fire in 1916 destroyed much of the area, including most of South Main and the 400 block of Church Street, and the neighborhood was quickly rebuilt. The result is a mix of Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Jacobethan, Mediterranean, Prairie School and Gothic Revival buildings, held together by similar scale, setbacks, landscaping and a canopy of mature trees. Notable landmarks include the Samuel Bell Maxey house, now a museum, and the Scott-Roden Mansion, which blends Prairie School and Jugendstil styles. The district was listed for its architecture and for its association with prominent citizens of the region, and 67 of its 83 properties contribute to its character.