First Christian Church Parsonage
Also known as: #28
Why it's listed
Built in 1900 at 608 North Penelope in Belton, this one-story brick house was constructed by the Belton First Christian Church as a parsonage, a role it served until the church sold it in 1943. It follows a modified L plan, with a central pyramidal roof block crossed by gable-roofed wings, and a porch with turned wooden columns wraps around the central block. Segmental arched windows, a brick string course with hood molding, and fancy butt shingles in the gables combine Italianate, Queen Anne and Eastlake elements without fitting a single style. A limestone hitching post stands beside the entry walk. The house matters locally as an example of late Victorian domestic design showing the shift from L-plan houses toward the bungalow. Pyramidal-roofed cottages were common in Belton around the turn of the century, but brick examples were rare, as most were frame. It also reflects the cotton boom years, when churches and other institutions were being established in the town.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be significant under Criterion C in the area of Architecture because it typifies the evolution of popular house forms from the L-plan vernacular house toward the bungalow. It also reflects the growth of social and religious institutions in Belton during the cotton boom around 1900. Its brick construction is unusual for a pyramidal-roofed cottage, since most were frame.
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 90001890, listed December 26, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 608 N. Penelope St., Belton |
|---|---|
| County | Bell County |
| Listed | December 26, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001890 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900 |
| Architectural style | Italianate; Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; a rear wood frame addition exists and a small rear outbuilding is noncontributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.06264, -97.45938 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 90001890.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452648
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.