Venable, W. J., House
Also known as: #32
Why it's listed
Built around 1879, probably for W. J. Venable, this two-story frame house at 426 North Wall in Belton is a vernacular interpretation of the Gothic Revival style. It follows an L-plan but is sited with the outside of the L forming the public facades. Its most distinctive feature is a series of steep gabled wall dormers that give the house 13 gables. Weatherboard covers the walls, two limestone chimneys pierce the roof, and a two-story east porch has boxed columns and Classical Revival detailing. Venable sold the house in 1892 to T. W. Cochran, a local merchant who added a rear wing in the same style about 1900. The multi-gabled form was popular in Kentucky and Tennessee around the Civil War and likely reached Texas with settlers from the upland South. An 1881 bird's-eye map shows five similar houses in Belton, and this is the only survivor. Although deteriorated, most original features remain.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant under Criterion C in architecture as one of the few examples of this vernacular multi-gabled house type in Central Texas. The form was probably brought to Belton by settlers from the upland South after the Civil War. An 1881 bird's-eye map shows five similar houses in Belton, and this is the only one still standing.
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 90001894, listed December 26, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 426 N. Wall, Belton |
|---|---|
| County | Bell County |
| Listed | December 26, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001894 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1879 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Vernacular L-plan; Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as deteriorated, though most original architectural features are intact. Historic and current function is a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.05904, -97.45985 (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 90001894.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000876
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.