Davis House
Why it's listed
Built around 1874 by James Madison Griffeth Davis, this house on Main Street in Salado began as a single-story, double-pen dogrun dwelling with a fireplace at each end. It sits on a corner lot near the creek and the center of the community. Over the years it was enlarged to suit its occupants. Around 1900 a wood frame commercial structure, moved up from the nearby creek, was added as a south wing. A north wing followed around 1920, and a sun porch was added on the southwest corner around 1970. The walls combine board-and-batten and clapboard siding, the roof is covered in wood shakes, and the windows are six-over-six double-hung sashes. Davis was an early Salado resident and merchant active in local affairs. The house was recognized for its architecture as a typical vernacular form that changed with its residents' needs. It remains in good condition and is still used as a residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as the home of an early Salado resident and merchant who was active in local affairs. It is also described as a typical vernacular house form that evolved to meet the changing needs of its occupants. The area of significance is architecture, at a 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 83003080, listed April 5, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Salado |
|---|---|
| County | Bell County |
| Listed | April 5, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003080 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | James Madison Griffeth Davis |
| Architectural style | frame vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is listed as good, and the house is still used as a residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.94499, -97.53674 (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 83003080.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001574
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.