Trout, Walter C.-White House
Why it's listed
Built in 1913 at 444 Jefferson Street in Lufkin, this two-story frame house was described by its surveyors as a very fine, imposing American Four Square, perhaps the best in the city. It has hip roofs with deep eaves and brackets, a brick foundation, an extended porch with square brick columns, and a wood-paneled entry door with leaded glass and side lights. Windows use 9/1, 12/1 and 18/1 sash, and a sunporch with casement windows sits on the east side. Inside, the vestibule holds the original elevator. A detached garage and a three-room servants' quarters stand at the rear. Walter C. Trout, who came from Milwaukee in 1905 to manage Lufkin Foundry and Machine Co., built the house for his wife and three sons after their first Lufkin home burned. He installed ducts for a central heating system meant to burn sawmill slabs, and opening Jefferson Street accompanied construction. The house is recognized for its architecture at the local level.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a very fine, imposing American Four Square house, perhaps the best in Lufkin, with exceptional wide overhangs, 18/1 windows and an art glass front door unit. It is also tied to Walter C. Trout, a manager of Lufkin Foundry and Machine Co. Significance is claimed 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 88002777, listed December 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 444 Jefferson, Lufkin |
|---|---|
| County | Angelina County |
| Listed | December 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002777 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Bungalow (described in the text as an American Four Square house) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; condition is good, though altered by applied vinyl siding on the exterior. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.33570, -94.73451 (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 88002777.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107321658
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.