Kurth, J. H., House
Why it's listed
This large frame house at 1860 Old Mill Road in Lufkin dates to about 1890 and combines Classical Revival details with the boxy form of an American Foursquare. It rises two and a half stories on a brick foundation, under a pyramidal hip roof with hipped dormers. A two-story portico with paired cylindrical Doric columns carries a third-story balcony, and a second-story porch wraps the south, west and north sides. Inside, a central hall and stair are flanked by paired rooms, and the attic holds a large central room with stained glass windows. Original interiors are largely intact, though walls were sheetrocked and central air added during renovation. The house was built for Joseph H. Kurth, a German immigrant who moved to Angelina County in 1887 and helped found the Angelina County Lumber Company. It was the most substantial residence in the Keltys community and is listed for its local architectural significance. It remains a residence in excellent condition.
Significance in brief: The house was the most substantial and elaborate residence in the Keltys community and is an architecturally significant hybrid of Classical Revival and Foursquare styles. It was also the home of J. H. Kurth, a founder of the Angelina County Lumber Company. The nomination states significance in architecture at the local level.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88002791, listed December 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1860 Old Mill Rd., Lufkin |
|---|---|
| County | Angelina County |
| Listed | December 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002791 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival (hybrid Classical/American Foursquare) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present condition stated as excellent; exterior appears unaltered, with interior renovation. Present use is residence. |
| Acreage | 9.5 |
| Coordinates | 31.35610, -94.74687 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88002791.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107321667
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.