Partee, Hiram, House
Also known as: Wilen Building
Why it's listed
This two-story stucco house at 605 Belknap Place in San Antonio's Monte Vista neighborhood was built for Hiram Partee around 1920-21. Architect Atlee B. Ayres designed it in a Mediterranean villa manner, with a red Spanish tile roof, a symmetrical five-bay east facade, a Beaux Arts entrance portico with Doric columns, and decorative balconies and plaster reliefs. Ayres was San Antonio's most prominent architect for much of the 20th century and wrote on Spanish Colonial Revival design suited to the southern climate. His son Robert joined the firm in 1922, and the form suggests he may have influenced the plaster ornament. Partee came to Texas in 1890 to clerk for Charles Schreiner of Kerrville, married Schreiner's daughter, and later worked in San Antonio mercantile and banking. The house later became medical offices, yet most original fabric survives, including stair details, mantels, and a garage with servants' quarters.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as an excellent example of Atlee B. Ayres' domestic work, with a Mediterranean character suited to the Texas climate. Ayres was San Antonio's most prominent architect for much of the 20th century. The form also notes Hiram Partee's career as a businessman and his link to Kerrville rancher Charles Schreiner, and suggests Ayres' son Robert may have contributed to the plaster detailing.
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 84001576, listed September 20, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 605 Belknap Pl., San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | September 20, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001576 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1920) |
| Architect / builder | Atlee B. Ayres |
| Architectural style | Mediterranean villa manner, with a Beaux Arts entrance portico |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as medical offices; the structure was recently renovated and the form lists its condition as excellent but altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Monte Vista Residential Historic District |
| Coordinates | 29.45212, -98.49749 (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 84001576.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000405
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.