Cline-Bass House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
This frame house at 804 Tucker in McKinney, Texas, was built around 1895 and later enlarged with a large two-story addition on the front. It has weatherboard siding, a hip roof with gables, shed dormers, and a porch with turned wood posts, a balustrade and a spindled frieze. Inside is a finely crafted spiral staircase. Local tradition says part of the house predates the Civil War, but no exterior evidence supports that. Its importance lies in its link to J.D. Bass, who bought it in 1902. Bass founded and ran what was the city's most successful and longest-operating locally owned cotton brokerage. Cotton fueled much of McKinney's growth in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and brokers such as Bass played a vital role in that economy. The house stayed in the Bass family until 1967. Because of alterations, it was recognized for this association rather than for its architecture.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion B for its association with J.D. Bass, who founded and ran the city's most successful and longest-operating locally owned cotton brokerage. Cotton drove much of McKinney's late 19th- and early 20th-century growth, and brokers like Bass were central to that industry. The house was not nominated for architectural merit because of significant alterations.
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 87001681, listed June 27, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 804 Tucker, McKinney |
|---|---|
| County | Collin County |
| Listed | June 27, 1988 |
| Reference number | 87001681 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition and used as a residence; the house has been altered significantly over the years. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.20283, -96.62617 (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 87001681.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001812
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.