Baines, George Washington, House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1866 on Royal Street in Salado, this 1-1/2 story frame house was the home of George Washington Baines, who also built it. Baines was a pioneer Baptist minister who started the first Baptist newspaper in Texas, served as third president of Baylor University, and ministered at the Salado Baptist church. He was the great grandfather of Lyndon Baines Johnson. The house has a rectangular plan, clapboard siding, and a gabled roof with an intersecting front gable. Limestone chimneys rise at the gable ends. The central entrance has double doors framed by a transom and sidelights, and square columns support the portico, with dentil detail along the frieze. The roofline is believed to have been altered in the mid 19th century to allow use of the attic. Restored in 1980-81, the house remains a residence in excellent condition and is valued for its history and its unusual blend of Greek Revival and Victorian styles.
Significance in brief: It was the home of George Washington Baines, a pioneer Baptist minister who began the first Baptist newspaper in Texas, served as third president of Baylor University, and ministered at Salado Baptist church. He was also great grandfather of Lyndon Baines Johnson. The house is also noted architecturally as an unusual transitional Greek Revival-Victorian building.
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 83003078, listed April 5, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Royal St., Salado |
|---|---|
| County | Bell County |
| Listed | April 5, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003078 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | George Washington Baines |
| Architectural style | Transitional Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition listed as excellent; restored 1980-81; present use is residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.94206, -97.53270 (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 83003078.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5545925
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.