Birdwell, T. Hamp and Beulah, House
Also known as: #34
Why it's listed
Built in 1913 at 503 North Wall in Belton, this 1 1/2-story frame bungalow was constructed by local builder T. Hamp Birdwell for his own family. It follows a foursquare plan with a pyramidal roof, a full-width front porch with boxed columns, and three wide hipped dormers with balconies on the front and sides. French doors and double-hung windows with decorative mullions show Prairie School influence, while Classical Revival detailing and Queen Anne sunburst motifs on the dormer sides show Birdwell's willingness to mix styles. Birdwell, who arrived in Belton from Louisiana in 1871, trained as a carpenter and built many houses in Belton and Central Texas until the 1930s. His reliance on patternbooks and his preference for the foursquare bungalow explain how common the type became in town. The house is considered locally significant for its architecture and for its link to Belton's residential growth during the late cotton boom. It remains in good condition and is still a single-family home.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as an excellent example of a Prairie School house adapted to a bungalow form, drawn from patternbook designs. It reflects residential growth in Belton during the later years of the cotton boom. It also shows the work of Birdwell, a prominent builder whose preference for foursquare-plan bungalows shaped the local housing stock.
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 90001896, listed December 26, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 503 N. Wall, Belton |
|---|---|
| County | Bell County |
| Listed | December 26, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001896 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913 |
| Architect / builder | T. Hamp Birdwell (builder); architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Prairie School |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition with its original architectural features intact; still used as a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.06029, -97.45879 (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 90001896.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001556
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.