Hoopes-Smith House
Also known as: Hoopes,James M.,House
Why it's listed
Facing the Gulf of Mexico at 417 North Broadway in Rockport, Texas, this 2 1/2-story frame house was built between 1890 and 1892 for James M. Hoopes, a former lawyer and banker who moved from Iowa. Its plans were signed by architect D.S. Hopkins of Grand Rapids and, according to family tradition, were bought from a Sears catalog. The house shows classic Queen Anne features: an asymmetrical plan, a steep hipped roof with cross gables, projecting bays, a corner tower, and fish scale shingles set against horizontal siding. Incised barge board and roof cresting reflect Eastlake influence. Alterations, including a 1894 south bay, post-1919 hurricane repairs and a 1934 rear room, are considered part of its history. Between 1894 and 1930 the building also operated as a hotel and boarding house for visitors drawn to Rockport's growing tourist trade. T. Noah Smith purchased it in 1934, and it stayed in his family until 1990.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent local example of Queen Anne architecture, with irregular massing, projecting bays, a corner tower, fish scale shingles and Eastlake-style incised barge board and roof cresting. It retains a high degree of historical and architectural integrity. It is also tied to Rockport's growth, since it served as a family home, hotel and boarding house between 1894 and 1930.
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 94001016, listed August 19, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 417 N. Broadway, Rockport |
|---|---|
| County | Aransas County |
| Listed | August 19, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001016 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1890-1892, 1894, 1919, 1934 |
| Architect / builder | Hopkins, D.S. |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as hotel; the owner bought it in 1990 intending to rehabilitate it as a bed and breakfast and planned to seek tax credits for restoration. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 28.02716, -97.04992 (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 94001016.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14710506
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.