Johnson, John, House
Why it's listed
This two-story frame dwelling at 302 Anthony in McKinney is an I-house, a plan type built in large numbers in the town during the 1870s and 1880s. Pioneer merchant John Johnson, a Virginia native, built it around 1875 and lived there until his death in 1928. The house has weatherboard siding, a gable roof with box eaves, two-over-two double-hung windows, and a three-bay shed-roofed porch on the north side with squared balusters, jigsawn brackets and square posts. The entrance has a transom and sidelights. Pedimented window surrounds and a cornice with dentils and molded brackets add classical detail. The exact construction date is unknown, but the house appears in its present form in an 1891 bird's-eye view of McKinney. The one-story rear ell probably predates the main block and may have been the original dwelling. It was listed for its architecture, since few comparable houses keep such fine detailing or remain so intact.
Significance in brief: The house is described as an outstanding local example of an I-house and one of McKinney's oldest surviving residences. Few extant examples have such noteworthy detailing or have remained as unchanged. Its classically detailed entablature with dentils and consoles is unusual for a house type that was often simply detailed.
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 87001723, listed October 8, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 302 Anthony, McKinney |
|---|---|
| County | Collin County |
| Listed | October 8, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001723 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Unknown; built by John Johnson, a pioneer merchant |
| Architectural style | I-house dwelling |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; condition is listed as fair. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.19374, -96.61312 (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 87001723.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000763
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.