Celaya-Creager House
Also known as: Celaya,Jose and Serafina,House
Why it's listed
Built in 1911-12 on a corner lot in an older Brownsville neighborhood, this two-story yellow brick house is among the most substantial turn-of-the-century residences in the city. A three-sided wraparound veranda and a bowed, two-story portico with four Roman Ionic columns dominate its design. Architect M. E. Tracy designed it for Jose Celaya and his wife Serafina Fernandez Celaya, and also designed the neighboring house built for her parents. The Celaya family was among the city's most prominent, and Jose Celaya served as a county commissioner and railroad officer. In 1924 the house was sold to Rentfro Banton Creager, an attorney, banker and Republican leader who was the party's 1916 nominee for governor and who seconded Warren G. Harding's nomination in 1920. The Creagers lived here until shortly before his death in 1950. A detached garage from 1914-1919 stands on the property. The exterior has been restored, and the interior was planned for commercial reuse.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of Brownsville's grandest turn-of-the-century residences and one of three surviving classically inspired mansions by architect M. E. Tracy. It is also strongly associated with Rentfro Banton Creager, a prominent South Texas Republican political figure who lived there from the 1920s until shortly before his death in 1950.
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 88000523, listed May 5, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 441 E. Washington St., Brownsville |
|---|---|
| County | Cameron County |
| Listed | May 5, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000523 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | M.E. Tracy |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival / Colonial Revival ("Classic Colonial" or "Colonial Renaissance") |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant and in fair condition; the exterior was recently restored and the interior was to be adapted for commercial use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 25.90646, -97.50235 (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 88000523.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001747
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.