McWhirter, George and Martha, House
Also known as: #19
Why it's listed
Built in the late 1860s or early 1870s, this limestone house at 400 North Pearl in Belton was home to George and Martha McWhirter. It is a 1 1/2-story building of rough ashlar limestone with finer limestone lintels and sills, a T-shaped plan, and a wood-shingled mansard roof with three gabled dormers. A large wooden portico with plain rectangular columns and arched spandrels marks the front. The house is considered one of the best preserved early examples of the Second Empire style in Texas, a style that was popular in the state in the 1870s and 1880s but rarely appeared right after the Civil War. The property is also linked to Martha McWhirter, who in the 1870s founded the Sanctificationists, a dissident communal religious sect. The house served as a worship center and meeting place for its members. She sold it in the 1890s and moved to Washington, D.C., with other sect members. The house remains a private residence in very good condition.
Significance in brief: It is an early and well-preserved Belton example of the Second Empire style, a style rare in Texas for the years just after the Civil War. It is also tied to Martha McWhirter, founder of the Sanctificationists, a communal religious sect, and served as a worship center and meeting place for the movement.
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 90001884, listed December 26, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 400 N. Pearl St., Belton |
|---|---|
| County | Bell County |
| Listed | December 26, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001884 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | est. 1870 - 1895 |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in very good condition with minimal exterior alterations; still used as a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.06017, -97.46382 (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 90001884.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001550
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.