Olson-Nelson Farm
Why it's listed
Overlooking the Meridian Creek valley in Bosque County, Texas, this farm sits on a small hill about four and a half miles west of Clifton, near a pass between Round Mountain and Big Bee Rock. Its main building is a one-and-a-half-story limestone house with a five-bay south front, a central door under a curved segmental arch, and six-over-six double-hung windows. Stone chimneys rise at both gable ends. A one-story stone structure, possibly the original kitchen, was joined to the rear, giving the house a T-shaped plan, and a standing-seam metal roof covers the whole. A small stone outbuilding with a cellar is dug into the hillside, and two wood-frame barns stand nearby. Ole and Antonette Olson, who apparently arrived in the county in the 1850s, probably built the house in the 1860s; it was later sold to O. D. (Dan) Nelson. The farm was listed as a good example of the symmetrical stone house with a rear kitchen wing. It is unoccupied but in good condition.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a good example of the symmetrical stone house type with a kitchen attached at the rear to form a T-shaped plan. It is also prominently sited on a small hill near Round Mountain with several related stone and wood-frame structures. It is part of the Norwegian settlement of Bosque County thematic group.
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 83003116, listed July 22, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W of Clifton, Clifton |
|---|---|
| County | Bosque County |
| Listed | July 22, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003116 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Ole and Antonette Olson (builders/original owners) |
| Architectural style | Symmetrical stone-house type |
| Areas of significance | European, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as unoccupied but in good condition, retaining much of its historic integrity; present use listed as vacant, agriculture. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 31.79005, -97.66247 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 83003116.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001668
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.