Means, V. R., House
Also known as: #4
Why it's listed
This 1 1/2-story frame house at 609 East 14th Street in Belton was built in 1913 by the local New Lumber Company for V.R. Means, an officer of the firm. It has a symmetrical form, a clipped side-gable roof with a wide shed-roofed dormer, weatherboard siding, and Colonial Revival details such as a boxed-column porch and a beveled glass front door with sidelights. It sits on a wooded lot in a neighborhood of early 20th-century houses. The company built roughly 100 homes in Belton in the first quarter of the century, and this sturdy house was apparently meant as a model demonstrating the quality of its work. Lumber companies of the era supplied plans, materials and construction for middle-class housing across the country. The house was listed for its architectural value as an early Belton example of the Colonial Revival style and of the way popular house types were spread through lumber yards.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a good example of the popular house types promoted nationwide through local lumber yards. It illustrates how stock plans and the Colonial Revival style spread to small communities. It also reflects Belton's growth around the turn of the century and meets Criterion C in architecture.
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 90001938, listed December 26, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 609 E. 14th St., Belton |
|---|---|
| County | Bell County |
| Listed | December 26, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001938 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913 |
| Architect / builder | New Lumber Company |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling, as at the time of listing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.06705, -97.45092 (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 90001938.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7906187
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.