Ferguson, James E. and Miriam, House
Also known as: #27
Why it's listed
Built in 1900 at 604 North Penelope in Belton, this one-story frame house follows an L-shaped plan and faces east on a large corner lot with several deciduous trees. It sits on brick piers and is covered in horizontal wood siding under a gabled composition-shingle roof. A screened front porch with boxed columns and a simple entablature fills the space between the wings. Queen Anne features include a projecting bay with chamfered corners and scroll brackets, fancy butt shingles in the gables, and art glass windows. The pedimented gable and classical porch columns point toward the shift to classical forms. The house was built for newlyweds James E. and Miriam Ferguson, who later both served as governors of Texas; they sold it in 1907. It is recognized locally for its architecture, as a modest builder-designed house of the cotton-boom era. A modern garage at the rear does not contribute to the property's historic character.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a good, representative example of a late Victorian vernacular L-plan dwelling from the turn of the century. It shows lingering Queen Anne details alongside a move toward classical forms. It also relates to Belton's growth during the cotton boom around 1900.
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 90001889, listed December 26, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 604 N. Penelope St., Belton |
|---|---|
| County | Bell County |
| Listed | December 26, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001889 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne; Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and still used as a single dwelling; alterations are limited to the screened porch and concrete steps. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.06156, -97.46002 (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 90001889.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000871
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.