McKinney Residential Historic District
Why it's listed
Northwest of downtown McKinney, this 42-acre neighborhood of private homes follows the street grid of the original town site, though its lots and blocks are more irregular. Most contributing buildings date from 1895 to 1930. The oldest is the 1877 F.M. "Tuck" Hill House, an I-house. Later buildings show the Queen Anne style, including the 1893 Charles and Sallie Heard House built by John Martin and the 1889 Aron-Harris House designed by New York architect Putnam Russell. Other styles include Classical and Georgian Revival, Prairie-influenced houses, Tudor Revival and many bungalows, the most common house type. The John and Rachel Heard House, with its two-story pedimented portico, is cited as the best Classical example in the community. Orderly tree plantings along W. Hunt Street add to the neighborhood's cohesion. Few buildings postdate 1936, and recent restoration projects have strengthened its historic character.
Significance in brief: The district holds a cohesive group of domestic buildings, including some of the finest local examples of vernacular, Popular and High-Style architecture. It shows the city's residential architecture from the 1877 I-house through Queen Anne, Classical and Colonial Revival, Prairie, bungalow and Tudor Revival styles. Concentrations on W. Hunt, N. College, W. Louisiana and W. Virginia streets are the strongest.
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 87001744, listed October 8, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by W. Lamar, N. Benge, W. Louisiana, & N. Oak, McKinney |
|---|---|
| County | Collin County |
| Listed | October 8, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001744 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1880-1937 |
| Architect / builder | John Martin (builder); Putnam Russell (New York architect); others listed in the property inventory |
| Architectural style | Vernacular, Popular and High-Style: Queen Anne, Classical/Colonial/Georgian Revival, Prairie, Bungalow, Tudor Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; most properties are occupied private residences, with some vacant or in restoration. Several historic houses have been altered with siding, and many owners have recently restored their homes. |
| Acreage | 42 |
| Coordinates | 33.20067, -96.62101 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 87001744.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999657
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.