deBerry Ranch
Why it's listed
Dr. Ellett M. deBerry, a psychiatrist who left Minnesota for Texas, bought ranch land northwest of Sonora in 1939 and built a headquarters on the Edwards Plateau. The nominated district covers 59.5 acres of the larger 5,623-acre ranch. Its centerpiece is a sprawling one-story ranch house, about 170 feet long, faced in random-course limestone and designed by San Angelo architect Leonard R. Mauldin. Around it are a guest house, garage, workers' house, barbecue pit, a raised circular swimming pool that doubled as a water tank, windmills, and elevated wooden cisterns. The rustic stonework echoes Depression-era WPA and CCC buildings. Nearby lies Wall's Well, a water hole shown on maps as early as 1887. DeBerry raised sheep, goats and cattle until 1950s drought forced him to sell his livestock, and a gas well was drilled in 1954. The property remains in family hands and retains a high degree of integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Styles | Modern Movement: Ranch Style; No Style |
|---|---|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Economics |
| Acreage | 59.5 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | deBerry Ranch (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.