Morris-Browne House
Why it's listed
Built in 1909 at the corner of Second and East Levee Streets in Brownsville's West End, this two-and-one-half story wood-frame house was designed and constructed by local architect and builder Andrew Goldammer for lumber dealer Leroy K. Morris. It combines Queen Anne features, such as multiple gables, bay windows and varied surfaces, with classical elements including Palladian windows and a porch that wraps three sides of the house. Inside, the unpainted woodwork, egg-and-dart moldings and tiled fireplaces remain largely original. A carriage house, converted to studio apartments in 1946, and a garage apartment stand at the rear of the property. Agnes Powers Browne bought the house in 1911. Changes to the porch and an enclosed sleeping porch were largely reversed in a rehabilitation completed by 2002, after the property had been abandoned for a time in the 1980s. The house is recognized for its architecture, as a distinguished local example of the Queen Anne Free Classic style.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent local example of the Queen Anne Free Classic style, with a porch wrapping three sides and remarkably intact, unpainted classical interior woodwork. It was built for lumber dealer Leroy K. Morris and later owned by Agnes Powers Browne. It also reflects the architectural shift that followed the 1904 arrival of the railway in Brownsville.
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 06000955, listed October 25, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 204 E. Levee St., Brownsville |
|---|---|
| County | Cameron County |
| Listed | October 25, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000955 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909-c.1950 |
| Architect / builder | Goldammer, Andrew |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne; Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Bungalow/Craftsman (described in the text as Queen Anne Free Classic) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a single dwelling, multiple dwelling and secondary structure. The property was abandoned for a period in the 1980s and rehabilitated between 1999 and 2002. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 25.90684, -97.50588 (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 06000955.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002646
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.