Korus Farmstead
Why it's listed
Set among post oak savanna along Gallinas Creek near Leming, this 112-acre farmstead preserves more than a century of family farming in northern Atascosa County. Its core is a c. 1860-1870 vertical log dogtrot house, the only surviving example of its type in the county, alongside a c. 1908 L-plan farmhouse with Queen Anne detailing such as fish scale shingles and turned porch posts. Log cribs, a smokehouse, chicken coops, turkey houses, a windmill, a well and a water tank complete the working yard. The Korus family, Silesian Poles tied to the nearby Las Gallinas community and St. Joseph's Church, bought the land in 1867 and raised hogs and cattle here. The property was listed for its agricultural history, its vernacular construction, and its link to Polish immigrant settlement. A survey of the county identified it as one of the region's most intact agricultural properties, with a period of significance from about 1860 to 1948.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farmstead is one of the best preserved and most intact agricultural properties in Atascosa County. It reflects over a century of farming by a Silesian Polish immigrant family in the Las Gallinas community. Its buildings show traditional vernacular rural design, and the log dwelling is the only surviving example of its type in the county.
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 98000876, listed July 15, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | US-281 at Farm-to-Market Rd. 536, Leming |
|---|---|
| County | Atascosa County |
| Listed | July 15, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000876 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1860 - 1948 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Other: center passage plan; Late Victorian: Queen Anne; No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture, European, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current functions are listed as vacant/not in use for the dwellings and agricultural outbuilding use; the cattle pen remains in use and the log dogtrot house has some deterioration. |
| Acreage | 112 |
| Coordinates | 29.11108, -98.48352 (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 98000876.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999573
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.